What if
by Magma-Dragoon
Summary: What if Syaoran had come to Japan earlier in the story? What if Sakura's mom was still alive? This fanfic challenges itself to retell CCS, but from a different approach.
1. Introduction

Hello dear readers!

**Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura and all of its characters are property of CLAMP. I am merely making a story out of it, so don't sue me.**

_Take note that:_

"Character talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me talking)

Okay, that's all you need to know for now. Here we go:

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Introduction**

Thursday, May 24th.

Two lone figures stood on top of a building in the proximity of the Tokyo Tower. Sakura wondered what she was doing there. She should be in her bed, sleeping. What was that all about? And what were those weird cards floating around her? Plus, why was that cute stuffed bear flying beside her?

There was someone else there too, a boy, with chestnut hair and brown eyes. He wore green Chinese clothes and carried a sword in a fighting stance. He had some of those weird cards around him too. Sakura noticed several bruises and cuts on his body. It seemed as if he'd been protecting her from something. She did feel very protected, but why?

Sakura saw one last person. It was a woman with long red hair. She was on top of the tower and held a bell of some kind in her hand. It was shaped like a crescent moon and had several purple ribbons hanging from one of its ends.

Suddenly a ringing sound could be heard. Sakura could tell it wasn't the woman's bell, but wasn't sure where it was coming from. She ignored it for a while, trying to see more of the strange things around her, but soon realized what the source of the sound was.

Sakura was back in her comfy bed, her body furiously telling her it wasn't time to stop resting yet. As she shifted her position on the bed several times, her mind slowly started to work its way to consciousness. Finally, after a long time of fighting her eyelids, she came to the point of remembering the meaning of having an alarm clock. She slowly opened her left eye to look at the object which had already stopped ringing a while ago. Realizing what time it was, her eyes widened and her mind went instantly back to full speed.

"Hoe! I'm late for school again!" She quickly leapt out of her bed, took off her pajamas and dressed herself in her school uniform. After combing her hair, she ran down the stairs to find her family already eating their breakfast.

Touya took one last bite before standing up and taking notice of his sister. "Morning monster, you're late for school again." Touya greeted her, the same way he did every single morning. "Well, I guess that's only normal for a monster like you." Sakura was more than used to her brother's greeting; however, she still couldn't help but lose her temper over it every time she heard the word monster.

"I'm not a monster oniichan!" She said as she stepped on his foot as hard as she could, making him jump on the good foot he had left.

"Ouch!" He cried sitting back at the chair to massage his foot.

Sakura snorted, looking away. "You had it coming." She said while taking a seat in the table too. "Hey! Don't go!" The girl cried out as Touya walked to the door, completely ignoring her. "He never waits for me!" She pouted.

Sakura's pouting was distracted, however, by her father who had been watching the scene very amused. "Good morning, Sakura-chan." He greeted her with his usual good mood, serving her breakfast.

"Morning, otou-san" Sakura's gaze then shifted to her mother. "Morning, okaa-san."

"Good morning, Sakura-chan." Nadeshiko greeted her daughter, wearing a loving expression as if she hadn't seen the girl's face in years. "Did you sleep well?"

Sakura nodded with an exaggerated movement and a goofy grin on her face. Though it was a look that Sakura was used to receiving every now and then, she always felt a great warmth inside her whenever she saw her mother smile like that.

"Itadakimasu!" Sakura said before digging into her breakfast. She ate it very fast, and ran to catch up with Touya.

"Niichan! Wait for me!" She yelled with her head sticking out of the door, but it was too late. Her brother had already left and was far out of the reach of her call.

"If you hurry you can still catch him, here's your lunch." Fujitaka handed her a lunch box.

"Thank you, Tou-san. Bye!" Sakura put on her roller blades and skated after Touya.

Fujitaka and Nadeshiko watched her, as happily as ever. "Bye." They both said. Another usual day had started in the normal life of the Kinomotos, much unlike the day of a young, chinese boy whose life was anything but normal.

* * *

Hong Kong, China. 

Li Xiao Lang was going through another of his daily martial arts training sessions. It was a dull life being the future leader of the Li clan, well known for it's wealth and tradition. Many legends of magic surrounded the family, and though most people believed them to be just silly stories, nearly half of them were actually true. The other half was usually told by relatives who had no connection to the clan other than the blood. These people were usually taking advantage of the name to show off.

Xiao Lang's life, even though it involved magic and legends, was limited to studying and training, having only a little time left over, most of which he spent with his family. His future was all traced out already and he didn't even have a say in it. It was always about old fashioned, centenarian traditions that couldn't be broken. That day, however, fate seemed to have a better plan for him. He had been surprised the past night by a dream he was sure wasn't just a regular one. It had stuck in his mind.

_Those had to be the cards!_ Was all he could think.

Though he knew everything there was to know about those cards, he had never actually seen them, just read and heard about them. Still, in his dream he could see those cards perfectly and still remembered every single detail about them. He could also remember that there were other people: a girl, some strange creature, a woman and someone else whose face he couldn't remember. He barely realized as his thoughts drifted into the dream that he was gradually losing his focus on the sword he was waving around.

"Xiao Lang!"

The boy nearly fell over from the surprise. He accelerated his breathing to keep up with his heart and tried to make a straight face. "What do you wish mother?" He had been taught to treat his mother with a lot of respect, seeing as she was a great magician and the current leader of the clan. That was more than enough reason for all of Hong Kong to respect her.

"Don't be so formal." His mother said, amused by his attempt to look as if he wasn't surprised at all by her arrival. "You know I hate it when you do that, son. You can act naturally when none of the elders are around."

"Yes mom." He bowed apologetically and returned his sword to its talisman form. It was a pendant with a small, black, crystal-like orb.

"That's better." Yelan gave him a warm smile, but soon let it make room for a very serious expression that more closely resembled the image that she had among most of the clan members. "Son, you've trained for a long time now, just waiting for the day you would take my place as the leader of our family. You know there are two conditions for that though. One of them is just a matter of time: you must be at least 16 years old. And the second is a very important one. You must be tested and approved by the elders." Syaoran nodded, already anticipating what was coming next. "Well, the elders have decided it's time for your trial."

The boy had barely recovered from the scare his mother had caused in him when she arrived and already he was feeling shocked again. "And what's it going to be?" Syaoran asked feeling his heart race even more than before; he hadn't been prepared for that kind of news so suddenly, he had always thought he would only go through the trial after he was old enough to be leader.

"This might come as a bit of a shock." Yelan took a deep breath. "The elders have finally located the Clow cards."

Syaoran was wide eyed, feeling as if someone had just hit him in the head. That was far from anything he could expect. Way too far. It was well known by the family that it had been centuries since the legendary cards were lost and there hadn't been any trace of them since. Many believed they were nothing but myth in these modern days. He then remembered his dream. "I see... So that's what my dream was all about." Syaoran said to himself.

Yelan eyed him suspiciously "What dream?"

Syaoran cursed himself for saying that out loud. "Well... I had this weird dream involving the Clow cards. There were some people with me too. A girl, a woman and some strange creature."

Yelan didn't show much surprise "I had the same dream, and so did nearly every important member of the family. You see, after having that dream, one of the elders sensed that the seal of the book would soon be broken. That was when they felt the presence of the cards. Then they decided upon your destiny and now it appears we are all having these dreams."

The elders of the clan consisted of the father and mother of the current leader, in this case, Syaoran's maternal grandparents. They were the ones who usually kept the clan in contact since many of the members were in the clan just because they had the same blood, name and attended the parties and ceremonies. Very few members even believed in magic, and an even smaller number actually practiced it.

Syaoran was still trying to keep up with reality. The whole situation seemed completely absurd to him. "But why is the seal going to be broken? Didn't Clow himself said it would happen about a century from now?" He asked while trying to sort his thoughts.

Yelan nodded. "That is a mystery. But more important than answering that question is retrieving the cards as soon as possible." She said sternly. "Apparently, they're in possession of a family that is completely unaware of what the cards can do. They live in Tomoeda, a small district in Tokyo."

At that Syaoran nearly fell on the floor. "In Japan?!" He asked, interrupting his mother.

Yelan smiled. "I knew you'd be surprised, we have no idea how they got there. The family I mentioned is the Kinomoto family. We will contact them and warn them of your arrival."

Syaoran eyed her as if not believing, confusion seen all over his face. "But why this family? Is there something special about them?"

Yelan nodded. "Yes. It was quite a surprise when we found out they all have a strong natural gift for practicing magic, although we believe they are completely ignorant about the existence of mana, and it's better that it stays that way."

"It won't." A tired voice came from behind them. It was a very old man in his late seventies who shared the same name as Xiao Lang. He was his grandfather.

"Father, don't be such a pessimist." Yelan said to the man.

"Kinomoto Sakura is the name of the girl in your dreams. As you should know, many of the family members dreamt of her too. That's not just a coincidence. She will be involved in this no matter what you do. That's fate and it can't be changed." The old Xiao Lang said, apparently very disappointed that Syaoran and Yelan didn't understand this in the first place.

Syaoran sighed. "Kinomoto Sakura..."

TO BE CONTINUED...

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**A/N:** _There. Just a quick introduction to get you in the mood for the fic and to help you decide if you'll keep reading it or will just look for something that you find more interesting._

_I'm just writing this note to tell you about my first fic (This one you just read.). Well, one nice Friday night I had nothing to do, so I read some CCS fics, and then this idea just popped up into my head. This is an AU (Alternate Universe). I intend to do the entire original story from scratch. Just different... that's pretty much it. Basically it's a "How I would have done it" version of CCS._

_Hope you enjoyed it enough to move on to next chapter. If so, I'll see you there, __where the story really sets off._

_This chapter was edited by Meredith Summer. She did one hell of a job in making it more reader friendly without asking for anything in return and I feel she deserves a special thanks._


	2. Sakura and the Clow, Part 1

Howdy!

**A/N: **_I see you liked, or at least survived through, the introduction. Well, I'm glad to see you here again. _

_Since you're willing to go through with this fanfic I suggest you take your time to read the notes I write at the start of every chapter as they'll be of vital importance to the story itself. Read these ones below and you'll see what I mean... Right after this disclaimer._

**Disclaimer: Who, me? Owning card Captor Sakura? Yeah, right. You wish.**

_Things to know: Sakura and Syaoran have never met and everything is pretty much the way it was when the anime/manga started except that Sakura is already a sixth grader at the beginning of the story, it's the second month of classes (In Japan, school year starts in April and ends in March) and that makes her twelve years old. The storyline is heavily based on the anime and the manga canons, but with changes to the development of the plot and the plot itself, made to make it more... interesting. (But not necessarily more "__appealing to all kinds of audiences".)_

_More things to know:_

_My fic has some Japanese words (just the untranslatable ones which I find essential to keep the characterization.), so here's a list of approximate translations. You may want to skip it since most words I'll use are pretty much common knowledge to anime fans__; it's up to you really:_

_In Japan names and surnames are inverted, so instead of Sakura Kinomoto you have Kinomoto Sakura._

**Hoe (Pronouced similarly to "Monet", not like "woe".) -** _Sakura's catch phrase... uh, word... whatever! She usually uses it when she's surprised or when she doesn't understand something... you'll get the hang of it as you read._

**Oniichan (Niichan) -** _Big Brother (As in the relative, not the Orwellian dictator or the TV show!)_

**Otou-san (Tou-san) -** _Father_

**Okaa-san (Kaa-san) -** _Mother_

_These last three are exact translations, I know, but I'd rather use them cause they include the "-san " and the "-chan." I refuse to write "Dad-san". Plus, I think they help to get the Japanese feeling in the story._

**chan, san, kun, sama -** _When placed after the name they're a very common formality, used when addressing someone; -kun is generally for boys, -chan is generally for girls, -san is generally for older people or strangers and -sama is used to refer to someone who's superior to you, it's like a sign of extreme respect and/or devotion. (They are all a bit more complex than that, but this gives you a general idea.)_

**Itadakimasu -** _Before eating a meal, it's a tradition to say itadakimasu. It's a way to thank for the food that you're about to eat._

_Not much more to say but the basics:_

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 1: **_Sakura and the Clow_

**Part 1: **_The Boy from Hong Kong_

The next morning things were pretty casual in the Kinomoto residence. Sakura was late, Touya called her a monster and got a stomped foot for it, Nadeshiko made them stop fighting and Fujitaka just watched the scene, amused.

Then something happened that wasn't in their daily routine. As the siblings were about to leave the phone rang.

"I'll get it" Fujitaka said, picking up the phone.

"Hello."

Silence.

"Yes, this is the Kinomoto residence. What do you wish?"

More silence.

"Are you sure? What's the name of the book?"

Fujitaka walked into his library, Sakura and Touya following him to see what that was all about. "Yes, I have the book, but why is it so important to you?"

Silence again.

"I'm sorry, that's an important founding from my archeology team and we're still working on opening it. It's very tightly locked." Fujitaka left the library holding a book with a picture of a creature that resembled a winged lion on the cover and had the title of 'The Clow'. Sakura felt like she had seen it before. "Oh, I didn't realize it." Fujitaka let out a small chuckle. "In that case I can make an exception. I'll send it by mail."

Sakura looked at the book with curious eyes, the symbol on the back of the book, which consisted of some mystical patterns with a half-moon in the middle, was also familiar to her and gave her an odd feeling as she looked at it. "I see. When will he arrive?"

A last pause.

"I'll make sure he gets it. It is a pleasure to help you. Goodbye." Fujitaka hung up the phone.

"Who was it otou-san?" Sakura asked, hoping to find clues to the nature of the symbol on the back.

"It was a Chinese woman. She said this book is a lost heritage from her family. Somehow it ended up here in Japan and was found by my team, so she's sending a person named Li Syaoran all the way from China just to get it." Everyone stared him confused by the absurd statement. "I suggested sending it by mail, but she said the book is too important to trust it to mail people."

"A Chinese man is coming here? When will he come?" Sakura said. She felt something odd about the mentioning of a Chinese man. It was the second time she had felt that way in the past few seconds.

"In three days. I'll be on a business trip so I won't be home. Touya, will you be home by then?"

Touya grunted. "Wait a minute. You just trust anybody who calls here asking for something?" He said it as if his father had just told a joke. "Maybe it's a trick to steal something valuable. This book may be worth a fortune. How would this woman even know you have it anyway?"

Fujitaka nodded in agreement. "That's what I thought at first, but after talking to her a while I realized I have many reasons to trust her."

Touya raised his hands in despair. "What's that supposed to mean?!" But his father's expression didn't shift from its soft smile, leading Touya to find himself with nothing left to say. He sighed in defeat and looked at his father in the eye. "Are you absolutely sure?" Fujitaka nodded. "Fine, but I won't be here in three days either. I have a part-time job and soccer practice."

Nadeshiko took a step forward, entering the conversation. "I'll be visiting Sonomi-chan. I promised I'd be there cause she couldn't come to my birthday party." She looked at Sakura. "Sakura-chan, will you be home?"

Sakura, whose mind was still wandering around the book, did a double-take and took a step back as everyone's gaze was now directed at her in expectation. "Y-yeah. But... Are you sure it's okay for me to receive a stranger here, alone like that?" Sakura said, picturing a mysterious stranger doing something terrible like kidnapping her or even worse... She quickly shook her head to try and forget those thoughts.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan." Fujitaka's reassuring smile was more than enough to make her, or anybody for that matter, feel a little better. "As I said, I have complete trust in this person." Sakura decided to trust him. He was always right after all, wasn't he?

Sakura suddenly jumped up as if something had just hit her on the head. "We're very late already!" She said, realizing that she was now even later because of the phone call. "Bye." Sakura and Touya quickly ran through the door, one taking the roller blades and the other a bicycle, and started on their way to school.

Yukito was waiting at the usual place for Touya and Sakura. When he finally saw them he waved his hand in the air. "Touya, Sakura-chan! Good morning!" He shouted to the distant siblings.

Yukito's smile made Sakura blush. "Good morning, Yukito-san!" She said very cheerfully as Yukito accelerated his own bicycle to meet Touya and Sakura at the same speed.

"Sakura-chan, you seem very cheerful today." Yukito said with a smile as cheerful as Sakura's.

"Even though the monster is late she doesn't mind; typical." Touya said, making fun of his sister and succeeding to provoke her.

Sakura was about to kick Touya's shin, which would have probably caused a very disastrous bike accident when Yukito said: "That's a lie Touya, you're just saying that to tease her." Sakura was overjoyed to see that Yukito was on her side and moved so Yukito would be between herself and Touya.

"Humph. You're no fun sometimes, Yuki, you know that?"

Sakura was sticking her tongue out at Touya from behind Yukito's back and blushed when Yukito turned his attention to her. "We're here." They all stopped at the front gate of Seijou High school. "See ya, Sakura-chan." Yukito said petting Sakura's hair softly, causing her to blush deeper.

"Bye Yukito-san." Was all Sakura could say before leaving, happily humming a happy song to herself.

* * *

At the Li residence, Syaoran was doing his best to comfort his crying cousin, Mei Ling. 

The girl had her head sunk on his shoulders. "You can't leave! You should stay here and spend time with me! That's what boyfriends are supposed to do!" Syaoran felt uncomfortable. Although he didn't return Mei Ling's feelings, she was still one of his only friends since they were both home schooled together. They had known each other since they were babies. He felt very bad every time Mei Ling got too emotional. It made him remember that her idea that they were boyfriend and girlfriend wasn't just a joke, which is how he treated it most of the time. She didn't really seem to care so long as she could spend time with him.

Syaoran, as usual, ignored that uncomfortable feeling and let his angry side take over. "Calm down. I'm just leaving for a few days. And besides, if you want me to be like that, you should have picked another person to be your boyfriend." He blurted out hoping the girl would leave him alone. "This is something really important, there's no way I can put anything in front of this." Syaoran immediately realized those weren't the best words to say. He gave a loud dramatic sigh as Mei Ling's crying suddenly got astoundingly more intense.

"You're so mean!"

* * *

At Tomoeda Elementary, Sakura greeted her friends. 

"Good morning." Her friends greeted her back. She passed by them, barely noticing their conversation about the latest edition of their favorite manga, sat down on her desk and looked out the window to nowhere in particular with a dreamy face on. She slowly put her hand on her hair and sighed quietly, but was caught off guard by Tomoyo.

"You're happy because of Yukito-san, aren't you, Sakura-chan?" Sakura jumped back on her seat, surprised by Tomoyo's sudden statement, but she managed to answer her.

"Y-yes!" Tomoyo giggled and took a camera out of her backpack.

"I'll call this one 'Dreamy Sakura-chan'!" She said, looking dreamier than Sakura herself.

Sakura sweat dropped. "Hoe! Tomoyo-chan! Where did you get that?"

"My mom gave it to me yesterday. I never knew filming could be such fun." The girl said as she pressed the REC button. Sakura blushed and looked away trying to hide from the camera's lens. "I think I've found my vocation."

Sakura was very relieved when Terada-sensei entered the classroom. "Good morning, everybody. Today we will have our math tests. I hope you studied hard."

It didn't take five minutes into the test for Sakura to wish she was back at the eye of the camera. That would have been much better than any math problem. She had studied for it, but for her it was never enough when it came to math.

After school Sakura was walking home with Tomoyo like they often did. Tomoyo could go back in a limo if she wanted to, but she enjoyed walking with Sakura. And her house wasn't so far from Sakura's house anyway.

"Otou-san said we'll have a guest on Monday, so I'll have to be home earlier to clean up the house before he arrives. I'll have to hurry so I won't be able to walk home with you."

Tomoyo seemed disappointed. "It's okay, don't worry. I'll ask Kaa-san to send someone to pick me up." She lied, she really treasured those walks. They were always the time when they had their longest and most private conversations. "And who is this guest?" Tomoyo managed to smile, trying not to concern Sakura.

"It's a man from China." Sakura said letting her mind wander in the same odd feeling from before. She felt like there was something she was forgetting about this man. But that was impossible cause they had never even met.

"China? Wow, what's he doing here in Japan? Is he a friend of your family?" Sakura started to explain all the events from that morning, still feeling that there was something fishy about the whole story.

* * *

Monday, May 28th, 9:20 am, Hong Kong time. 

Amidst the preparations for the trip, three days went by in the blink of an eye. Syaoran's family was all gathered around him saying their goodbyes. Mei Ling, who had practically gotten over the situation in the past three days, had now gone back to crying like a baby on Yelan's bosom. Syaoran had already lost all the sympathy he had felt for the girl giving way to the desire to smack her in the head and tell her to shut up. Other than the knowledge that she would only cry more if he did so, the only thing stopping him were his four sisters all around him. "We'll miss you!" They said in unison, though not as dramatically as Mei Ling had in the past days.

When the sisters moved out of the way, it was Mei Ling's turn to say goodbye. She approached the boy with tears dripping from the corner of her eyes and pointed a menacing finger at his nose, frowning. Syaoran was a little stupefied as he had been pretty sure the girl would just hug him in a bear hug like she always did. "Xiao Lang, you're still my boyfriend, so don't you dare stay there too long!" Mei Ling tried to sound as bossy as possible, but it was hard to do so in between sobs.

Yelan stepped forward and placed her hand on top of the boy's head. "Xiao Lang, you know that dream wasn't just your imagination, if this was as simple as getting the book back, the elders wouldn't have chosen this as your trial. That's why I didn't buy your return ticket. I have a feeling you will have to stay there longer than expected. I have already made reservations at an elementary school for you. I also rented a nice apartment. Wei is going with you as your responsible guardian. Don't disappoint me." She said, and then shuffled his hair a bit causing Syaoran to shake his head as if to get rid of her hand. Yelan giggled at the pouting expression Syaoran made at her, it was really rare to see Syaoran with a face like that. "Now go, and don't come back without those cards." She winked at the boy.

Syaoran now had a confident smile on his face. "Don't worry, I won't disappoint you." He turned his back to his family and walked to the gates.

* * *

Later that day. 

Sakura said goodbye to Tomoyo at the school gates and skated down the streets while her friend watched her.

"Don't forget to call me if you need any help." Tomoyo said waving to Sakura.

"Sure. Thanks Tomoyo-chan. See you later." She turned the corner and started skating faster.

* * *

Syaoran had arrived in Japan a few hours after his departure and, after unpacking at his new apartment, he now wandered the streets of Tomoeda, tediously reading an address and some poorly written directions on a piece of paper, not really sure if he knew where he was anymore. 

He had decided he could find the street written on the paper on his own and didn't need to ask any stranger for information. "Stupid place." He said as he turned on a corner he was sure he'd seen a few times before.

The only reason why he wasn't scared of not finding his own way home again by now was because it was in the tallest building in Tomoeda and it could be seen no matter how far he went. "I think I'm beginning to get the hang of it." He said to himself, picturing an overview map of the district in his head.

After some more minutes of not finding his destination he saw a convenience store and, satisfied that he had not been to a repeated street for quite a while now, he felt it was time for a drink.

"I thought this place was smaller than this. I've been walking for nearly half an hour and I haven't found Kinomoto's place yet. I must have covered nearly every street in the neighborhood already." He mumbled to himself as he paid for the drink.

"Excuse me." Syaoran heard the cashier say and looked up wondering if had made some mistake in the payment. He was surprised however when he saw the young man face to face. A weird, dizzy feeling came over him. The man was very tall, had short gray hair and wore a pair of round glasses. He felt his face heat up leaving him with no doubts it had turned bright red and his heart was beating twice as fast as usual. _What the...?_ "I couldn't help but hear you mention the name Kinomoto."

Syaoran looked down trying to hide his face. "Y-yeah, I'm looking for their house." He was pretty sure that in less than ten minutes more of walking he would have covered all the streets of Tomoeda and therefore, found the Kinomotos, so he didn't really bother to stay and hear the boy as his presence was making him feel... weird. He took his soda and started to walk away, still looking at the floor.

The cashier however took hold of Syaoran by the arm stopping him from moving another step. "Wait!" Syaoran didn't try to fight back. Instead he turned back to the young man and stood there, silent. "You forgot your change." The gray haired boy handed him his change. "About Kinomoto, I know him, he's my best friend. If this is the same Kinomoto I know, he lives near here." Syaoran was feeling more uncomfortable by the minute. He barely noticed that his tight grip on the soda can had started to deform it.

As soon as he noticed that the boy had stopped giving him directions he ran away from the store as fast as he could, bumping into every person on the street and nearly being hit by a car. "Wait! Why are you running?" The other boy called. But Yukito didn't get his answer as Syaoran was already too far away to hear anything.

* * *

After cleaning up the whole house, Sakura rested on the couch, exhausted. 

"He should be here anytime now. I wonder if I have time to take a bath." She said to herself, glancing at the clock. She sighed, seeing that the boy was actually late already as it was almost night time. Sakura noticed the book on the coffee table again. It had been driving her insane to look at that symbol on its back and get that strange feeling for three days now. "What's so special about this book?" She wondered, taking the book in her hands and examining it closely for the umpteenth time. "Why can't we send it by mail? It's a really big trip from Hong Kong for just a book."

She looked at the symbol on the back again. "Where have I seen it before?"

Suddenly an idea popped up in Sakura's mind. She looked to both sides to make sure no one was looking even though she knew she was alone. She tried to open the book, but was stopped by the lock as she had predicted. "Maybe I can force it open. It's really old after all."

She pulled the lock as hard as she could but it wouldn't budge. "I know I shouldn't be doing this but..." She stepped on the book and used both her hands to pull the lock, producing no results again. Stressed by her failed attempts and that strange feeling that had been tormenting her curiosity, she dropped the book on the floor and closed her fist hard. "Open!" She punched the lock in anger and felt a sharp pain in her hand. "Ouch!" She squeezed her eyes trying to relieve the stinging feeling, but that caused her to miss whatever had made that loud, metallic sound.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that the lock was gone and now what were apparently pieces of it were scattered throughout the carpet. "Hoe! I broke it! But how did that happen?" She looked desperately at the metal pieces around the living room wondering if there was any way to fix them.

Her attention was soon drawn back to the book. "Since the damage is already done..." She told herself before opening the book. However, she didn't find any words inside it as she had expected. In fact, it could barely be called a book. It had a big rectangle-shaped hole in the middle of a solid block that was supposed to simulate pages and an odd collection of cards inside that hole.

Sakura felt now that she was very close to remembering something. "This weird feeling..." She took the first card and looked at its back. "These cards have the same symbol from the back of the book."

Sakura gasped.

"This symbol, the cards... My dream! That's where I know it from." She was now pretty sure this was like a second part of her dream and she would awaken anytime soon, late for school. Flipping the card back she looked at the drawing on it. A beautiful woman wearing clothes that looked as if they were made of air. "There's something written in this card." She read the words on the bottom of the card. "Windy." As soon as she had finished reading the card, a strong gust filled the room making a huge mess and sending all the cards flying to the roof, and, much to Sakura's surprise, through the roof also. Except for the one in Sakura's hand, they were all going away.

"Hoee!" She stared at the roof as the cards all disappeared. Despite her state of shock, Sakura was about to get even more surprised.

The front door came down to the floor with a loud thud, revealing a boy in Chinese clothes who had just taken it down.

"No!" He cried desperately. The boy stared at Sakura as the last few cards vanished.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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**A/N:** _Ok, before you come saying that I'm not original and made the cards be spread in the same way as in the anime, I'll say that I could have done it many other ways, as it isn't really that hard to find another excuse for the cards to go around. I chose to use The Windy for that task as in the anime and the manga as a tribute of sorts. The further the story goes the more I'll change elements from the original CCS. I guess you could say that The Windy is a symbol of how the two stories haven't really diffentiated much from each other yet._

_That's all. Thanks for your time. Bye._

_-This chapter was edited by Meredith Summer._


	3. Sakura and the Clow, Part 2

Hey! It's you again!

**A/N: **_Thanks for your reviews and your opinions that came along with them, they really mean a lot. Hope you enjoy this one too!_

**Disclaimer: Contrary to popular belief, I do not actually own CCS. You see, it's owned by this Japanese company called CLAMP. What I do is take their characters and make stories of my own with them. This practice is usually called fanfiction in the internet nowadays. Hope we could clear that out.**

_Some repetitive but important information:_

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_And a story:_

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 1: **_Sakura and the Clow_

**Part 2: **_Sakura's First Attempt at Magic_

Syaoran looked at a street sign and then at the paper in his hand, feeling satisfied. "Finally!" He started to walk along the street, looking at the number on each house.

Even though he felt a little less tense now, he could still feel the heat going through his face and he was pretty sure his heart was still beating as fast as when he met that cashier, but he decided to account that to the fact that he was not only about to go on his trial for the clan, but was about to see the legendary Book of Clow.

Finally finding the house, he approached the door. "This should be the place." He took a step forward to ring the doorbell, but as his finger was about to touch the button he felt a tingling feeling run through his whole body.

"Ouch!" Came a girlish cry from inside the house.

"What the..." He closed his eyes, trying to focus. _For a second, I was sure I could feel an amazingly strong magical aura_. He moved to the side of the door and tried to see inside the house through a window. Inside he saw a girl opening a book and taking a card from the inside. _Is that...?_ Realization hit him as he remembered the words from his grandfather. _The seal! That girl broke it!_ He tried to open the door but it was locked. Syaoran felt the same strong aura again coming from inside the house and before he could reflect on what might be the cause, a bunch of rectangle shaped cards were flying through the roof of the house and going away in all directions.

Syaoran desperately slammed his body against the door bringing it down. "No!" Syaoran ignored the pain on his shoulder to look at the girl who seemed as if she had just seen a ghost. She was now staring back at him with an expression of pure fear in her eyes.

"W-what? W-who?" Sakura wasn't sure if she should look at the boy or the roof that was still intact even after the cards had gone through it. She was pretty sure now that this wasn't a dream since her hand still ached very hard from hitting that lock.

Syaoran looked at the book. There was nothing in it but an empty hole. He fell on his knees and punched the floor trying to let out his frustration. "Damn it!" Looking up, he glared at Sakura "You idiot! Do you have any idea of what you just did?" He said, walking until he was just a foot away from the girl.

Sakura felt her voice falter and had to swallow a big amount of saliva before she could let out any words. "I-I-I don't know what happened. I just read the words on this card and... Wait! Who are you? You just break into my house and start calling me names!" Sakura tried to sound like she was angry, but she wasn't fooling anybody. The look Syaoran was giving her only made her feel more cornered.

Syaoran sighed like a teacher that can't get the students in his class to shut up. "So you just go opening other people's property pretending its OK?"

Sakura was now on the verge of tears. "I... I swear I didn't know this would happen!"

Syaoran let out an unintelligible sound of frustration. "That doesn't change the fact that you weren't supposed to open it in the first place! Have you no respect for personal property?"

Sakura tried to control her sobs so she could talk. "I... Wait..." She made a small pause to think and spoke slowly as if to keep up with her trail of thought. "You are the person who was supposed to get the..." It hit her. Her face became red and she went from scared to embarrassed. "Hoe! I'm sorry. I'm really sorry!" She said bowing repeatedly. "I really had no idea that this would happen! If there's anything I can do, just tell me. I can ask my father to pay you back. He's..."

"Shut up!" Sakura stopped dead in her tracks. "There's no money that could pay for those cards." He said, obviously offended by the silly offer. He waited a moment to let Sakura explain herself, but after noticing she was just waiting for him to say something, the boy took a moment to think things over. "Listen..." Sakura's head jolted up, paying full attention. "I recognize you really had no idea that could happen, but that's irrelevant considering that if you hadn't..."

Syaoran was interrupted when the book on the floor started emitting a strong golden glow, drawing their attention. The book found itself closed now. Sakura noticed that the creature drawn on the cover had disappeared to give place to a symbol similar to the one on the back, only with a sun instead of a moon.

A small yellow creature, that resembled a stuffed bear with wings, slowly materialized itself above the book. "Hey there!" It shouted cheerfully, waving its paw in the air.

"Hoeee!" Sakura felt as if her heart was about to jump out of her mouth and run away. Her sanity was being pushed to its limits. _First the weird cards, then the mysterious boy, and now a living stuffed bear with wings?!_ She took a moment to reflect if this could be some sort of practical joke or if she had simply gone crazy already, but then her mind wandered back to that night on the past week. _Wait! It's exactly the same as in my dream. This is even the same boy!_

Syaoran failed to see Sakura's sudden change of expression as she examined his face. He was too busy examining the creature's face. His eyes were ridiculously wide and he completely forgot what he was about to tell the girl before the creature showed up.

He knew in an instant that the creature was the one in his dream. The one standing by Sakura. It was only then that he stopped to think about that. _So this really is Kinomoto-san. She's just like my dream. And this thing can only be..._ He pointed his finger at the creature, even more shocked now that he had realized who it was. "It can't be! You're not by any chance..."

"Kerberos." The creature said while making a fierce pose. However, as he saw the unimpressed look on the couple's face, he realized he had not gotten the reaction he was expecting. He only understood the reason for that when he looked down at himself. "Why am I at my fake form? Clow said that you and the cards combined should have enough power to..." He paused as he looked at the empty book. "Where are they?" He asked casually looking around the room as if he was sure they were obviously somewhere close.

Syaoran sighed, slapping his own face with his hand. _This couldn't have gone worse! The most important day of my life turned into this joke!_ He thought, looking at the two oblivious souls that shared the room with him. "The cards are gone." He said without hesitating.

Sakura flinched and blushed bright red as the boy said those words. The creature seemed even more disturbed than Sakura.

There was a split second of silence in which the creature tried to evaluate if it was just a silly joke, but he came to the conclusion that the young boy was most definitely not joking. "They're what?!" He yelled in panic. Syaoran lifted his hands in defense as the creature quickly soared through the air towards him. "How? Why? Who did this?"

Syaoran snorted and made a movement with his head towards Sakura.

The girl felt herself shrink in embarrassment. "I... I..." She still wasn't sure of what she should say. Her mind felt like a big blank as it tried to process all the nonsense information that was coming in, though it worked enough to tell her she had done something terribly bad and would give anything to be awakened at that moment by the doorbell to find out she had only fallen asleep on the couch and was having some crazy dream again.

Before Sakura knew it, the creature was floating an inch away from her nose. "You better explain yourself, girl!" It said, trying to look scary.

Despite the situation Sakura couldn't help but think the little beast was kind of funny, but she decided to keep that to herself.

"It's not her fault." Syaoran said, surprising Sakura. _He's defending me now?_ She thought confused. "She had no idea what she was doing."

The creature eyed Syaoran suspiciously. "How come? If she opened the seal she must have known what she was doing."

Syaoran took a deep long breath trying to put his thoughts in order. He came to the conclusion that he was clearly going to have to be the one to explain what was going on to the other two. He sat down on the couch. "Why don't you two try to calm down and we'll all explain ourselves so that we can move on to the more important subject of finding the cards?"

* * *

Meanwhile, on the staff room of a convenience store nearby, Touya and Yukito were having a snack at the little break they had from their jobs. 

"Who was that boy you were talking to a while ago, Yuki?" Touya asked, referring to the boy who had run away a few minutes ago, looking very scared.

"I don't know, he was looking for your house, but all of a sudden he ran away."

Touya blinked twice in surprise. "He must be the Chinese boy that was coming over today. I hope he doesn't try anything with Sakura, cause if he does, I'll kill him!" He said, punching his palm really hard to emphasize his point.

Yukito chuckled at the silly thought. "Calm down Touya, he seemed like a nice boy to me. I don't think he'll do anything bad to Sakura-chan." Yukito went back to his job, leaving Touya to think.

"Still, I've been getting this feeling that he's going to do something really bad to me. Something I can't fight against." Touya said to himself before following Yukito.

* * *

"Uh... Tea is ready. Are you done with the door Li-san?" Sakura said, entering the living room, which had already undergone another cleaning up. She carried a tray containing three cups of tea and three pieces of chocolate cake. Unfortunately, a lot of the tea had been spilled on the tray due to Sakura's trembling hands. _I'm serving tea to a talking stuffed bear. I'm serving tea to a talking stuffed bear._ She kept repeating to herself in her head, not really expecting to accomplish anything by doing so. 

Syaoran was kneeled beside the door that was back in place now. He wiped his forehead with the long sleeve of his Chinese shirt and closed the toolbox in front of him. "I'm done. Don't worry. It didn't leave any marks, so your dad won't even notice." Syaoran said, rather proud of himself. He felt very relieved now that everything seemed under control, and fixing the door had really helped him cool down his mind, even though the book's guardian had been annoying him nonstop with questions regarding his family, Sakura and what had happened in the past few centuries.

Sakura placed the tray on the coffee table and fell down on the couch. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to escape inside her mind, but soon opened them again, knowing it would be useless. "So..." She said. "I... W-what..." She wasn't sure on how to elaborate the thousands of questions that were popping in her head.

Syaoran sat down next to her. He took a sip of tea and sweat dropped when he saw that his cup was nearly empty already. Preferring not to make any comments about the fact that there was more tea in the tray than in the cups, he decided to start the explanations.

Taking a deep breath he put the cup down at the tray. "Let's start from the beginning." He was satisfied to see that he had all eyes of the room on himself now. "I know that, by now, this may not be much of a shock to you but..." He said, facing Sakura. "Magic is very real." Sakura nodded. Though the boy would have sounded ridiculous if he had said that to her an hour ago, right now it seemed as if he was just stating the obvious. "Now, about the book..." The yellow creature soared his way to the space between Syaoran and Sakura with the obvious intent to interrupt the boy.

"Excuse me." It said. "I think I'm more qualified to tell her about the book." It stated with a mocking tone.

Syaoran glared at the little creature. "I'm trying to tell a story here!" He was growing less fond of the creature with each second that passed. "I assure you, I know everything there is to know about that book."

The guardian laughed, much to Syaoran's displeasing. "You don't think you can know more than I, do you? Did you actually witness Clow in action? First hand?" Syaoran was about to reply, but was interrupted before he could emit a single sound. "I thought so."

Syaoran snorted. _This is ridiculous! He's got the brains of a five year old!_ He thought. "Fine! Go ahead, and tell her your first hand story." He said, now paying more attention to his cake than to the conversation that had started beside him.

The guardian turned to face Sakura, who was a bit weirded out by the peculiarly out of place discussion that had just happened. "Alright, I believe we haven't been properly introduced yet. I'm Kerberos, the Guardian of the Seal, First Judge of the Clow Cards, Beast of the Sun!" He said, making another pose that would be amusing to Sakura in other circumstances. "And you are?"

Sakura took a few seconds to think before answering. "I'm Kinomoto Sakura... uh... Sixth grader." She wasn't sure if she was supposed to give out some crazy title too.

"Alright, Sakura, I'll just tell you the essential parts of the story, so pay attention." Sakura nodded, as insane as she thought she might be, she was decided to try and understand what was the meaning of all that. "It all begins many centuries ago. Clow Reed was born, son of a Chinese and an English magician. He was raised in China and became a powerful wizard, maybe the most powerful of all time. He's the one who created me." He then landed beside the book. "The cards that were in here were also created by him. Each one had a particular power. The one you used was The Windy that has the power to control the wind. But when Clow saw his death was approaching he thought it would be best to seal the cards so they wouldn't be used for selfish intentions. He made this book and put me to guard it. To protect it better, he took it to Japan, far from every great magic clan in China or England. Here, he buried the book deep on earth."

"So that's why it was in Japan!" Syaoran said, taking a new interest in the conversation. "But didn't Clow himself predict that the book would only be opened in a century from now?"

Kerberos looked at him, confused. "If he ever did such a thing, it was after he had already buried the book. I never heard that." Syaoran nodded. "Back to the story. Somehow, the book was found, which is quite a mystery to me." He looked at Sakura inquisitively.

Sakura was satisfied to see that she knew something Kerberos didn't. It made him look like a little less scary. "That's because my father teaches history in a university. He said that the archeology team he's in found the book." She said.

Kerberos nodded, not surprised with the answer. "Yeah, that makes sense. Anyway, you found it and somehow you opened it, right?" Sakura nodded. "That means you have some great magical powers. Not even I know what kind of seal was placed in the book, but Clow assured me that whoever wanted to open it would need a lot of magic power." Sakura nodded again, but hesitated a bit this time.

"But... what about you, Li-san?" She asked.

Syaoran didn't hesitate, as if he already had the answer ready in his mind. "The Li clan descends from the family of Clow's mother. That makes me a relative of Clow. When we found out the cards were here, I was sent to get them as part of my training."

"Wow..." She wasn't really sure if there was anything she could say about that.

Kerberos cleared his throat loudly to draw the attention back to him. "Well, now that you know the basics, me and the brat here have something really important to..." He couldn't finish his sentence cause Syaoran's fist had collided with the back of his head.

"Who's a brat? Fur ball!" The guardian couldn't answer cause he was apparently too dizzy to even fly straight. Syaoran turned back to Sakura. "Well, Kinomoto-san, as he was saying, we have to ask something really important from you."

Sakura nodded. "I think I know what it is... you want me to get the cards back for you, right?" She asked as a cold feeling sunk in her stomach. She had been fearing that possibility from the moment Syaoran said the cards had to be brought back. For some reason, she thought that there was something more to looking for those magic pieces of paper than it seemed. "It is my fault they got lost after all, right?" She said, a new kind of nervousness on her voice now.

Syaoran didn't seem to notice the girl's hesitating voice and just nodded. "Sort of. You won't have to do it on your own though. Me and fur ball here are going to help you." He said, picking up Kerberos from the spot on the couch he had chosen to rest.

Sakura looked at Syaoran's face for a couple of seconds, without moving her lips. In that short period of time, she was sure she felt from the boy the same feeling she felt on her dream. Protection. "I... Thank you." She said letting herself smile for the first time in what seemed to be an eternity.

Syaoran was taken off guard when she smiled. He went back to his own dream and the feeling he had felt back then. It was anger combined with fear. Not directed at her, but at whatever was attacking them. Attacking her. He found himself at a loss for words as he lived the dream again in his head. His mouth was left hanging open and he was relieved when Kerberos regained his composure and punched him right in the eye causing him to let out a loud yelp of pain.

"That will teach you not to mess with me, brat." The guardian turned back to Sakura, who seemed to have just awoken from a daydream too. "And now, to you! You're going to help us get the cards back. From now on, you're going to train your magical powers so you can use them at your own free will."

"Right!" She said, nodding confidently. "I'll do my best." _What have I gotten myself into?_

"That's the spirit, Sakura!" He said, sitting down. "But first, let's eat." He took a piece of cake. At that, Sakura and Syaoran facefaulted. "Wow! This thing's delicious!" He shouted. His eyes were sparkling in pure joy. "It's been centuries since I ate anything this good! Then again, it's been centuries since I ate anything at all. Anyway..." He stood on his rear paws and pointed at Sakura "I feel revitalized. Let's begin your training!"

Sakura jumped, surprised. "Hoe! So soon? You didn't even eat right."

"Yeah! Let's start with this little something that's going to help you." He said and without giving time for Sakura to ask any questions he closed his eyes and started to focus. A weak, golden light was emitted from his body.

Something started to materialize out of thin air in front of him, emitting an even stronger glow. It was a small key, the tip shaped like a bird's head with a ruby beak in it. It was floating between Kerberos and Sakura and the girl could feel a strong air current that apparently came from the little object. "Just grab that key and hold tight to it." The guardian instructed her.

Sakura hesitated. "Huh... Right." She walked to the key with some difficulty. There seemed to be some energy other than the mysterious air current holding her back.

When she finally closed her hand around the key Kerberos started chanting a spell. "Key of the seal, there's someone wishing for a contract with you. A girl named Sakura." The key began to get bigger and change its shape. "Key, grant her power!" The key stopped its changing when it had transformed into a staff, which had the same aspects of the key, but bigger.

"Hoe. I'll use this?" Sakura said, looking at the staff in her hands. "It's like a magical wand. I thought these were just from fairytales." She liked the little object. It was cool, pretty and somewhat charismatic in its own way. And at least it was something more tangible than the guardian's stories.

"Is this staff..." Syaoran started a question, but was interrupted.

"It's a creation of Clow himself. It has adapted its shape to better suit your magic." The guardian said. "Now that you have a contract with it, it is a part of you. Never leave it. You can retrieve it to its fake form just by relaxing your spirit. I'm sure that with time you'll get the hang of it." Sakura nodded repeatedly making sure she caught all the information.

"Hum... Kerberos-san. Can I ask you something?" She said shyly.

"Go ahead."

"I don't have to tell everybody about this, do I?" She asked, thinking of the reactions she might get. "Niichan would never let me do something like this."

Kerberos looked at her for a while as if trying to understand what she meant. "Well... if you want to keep it a secret. There's no problem, I think."

Syaoran nodded. "It's actually better if you do. Fur ball doesn't know, but in modern times magic is much less accepted as real than it was back then." Sakura had barely opened her mouth to say something when Syaoran cut in. "Wait!" He looked around as if looking for something. "I can feel a presence. It's a magical aura. One of the cards must still be around here." He closed his eyes to focus. "Outside!"

Syaoran ran to the street in front of the house, followed by the other two. "Kerberos-san, does that mean that all we have to do now is take the card and put it in the book?" Sakura asked, getting an uncomfortable feeling all over. Like the feeling you get when you know something bad is coming up.

The guardian sighed. "No. When the cards were released, they lost their source of energy which was the book. They will probably go back to their true form, which is usually very strong, and go out of control in search for more energy. That's why we have to catch them as soon as possible." He said.

"And why didn't you say this before!" The girl cried, feeling her confidence slowly vanishing again.

"You never asked." Sakura facefaulted.

"There it is!" Syaoran pointed to the sky, causing both Sakura and Kerberos to look up.

"It's The Fly card." Kerberos said pointing to a big green bird on the sky. The bird had an ethereal look about him. As he flew, his body would leave a trail of a green colored smoke that appeared to be made of his own solid body. He was probably about Sakura's size from head to toe and wasn't like any bird Sakura had seen before, though is looked like a bird of prey.

"That huge bird is a Clow card? How do we get to it?" Before anyone could answer Sakura's question the bird dived down on them.

Syaoran and Kerberos avoided the attack, but Sakura wasn't that much successful. She jumped to the side, back into the gates leading to her front yard and even before she hit the concrete floor, she felt a sharp pain in her left arm that told her the bird had managed to cut her with its beak.

"Kinomoto-san!" Syaoran ran to her, helped her up and looked at the cut on her arm, feeling relief that it hadn't been too deep. With guilt out of the way he could be his cool self. "You're not helping at all. You're just getting in my way!" He said not bothering to measure his words.

"I'm sorry." Sakura looked down in embarrassment. "But... Isn't there anything I can do to help?"

"Sakura!" Kerberos flew towards them. "Phew. It's only a shallow cut." He looked at the bird that was circling them in the sky as if measuring its movements. "Here's what we must do. The brat stuns the card with a thunder magic. Sakura, you take the chance to lock it while it's stunned."

"Right, but don't call me a brat again or you'll regret it!" Syaoran said, glaring at the guardian.

"How do I lock the card? I've never done anything like this before, don't you remember?" The girl said desperately. She was holding her staff tight against her chest with both hands, seeking a way to feel safer.

"Just point your staff to the card and say these words while concentrating:" Kerberos pretended he had a staff in hands and raised it above his head. "'Return to the shape you are meant to be in. Clow Card!' And picture the card returning to its card shape in your head while you say it. Do you get it?"

"Y-yes." Sakura held her staff in a more offensive position and looked at Syaoran, expecting him to do something.

"Okay, Kinomoto-san, I'm going to stun it. Be prepared." Syaoran ran to the middle of the street, leaving Sakura and Kerberos by the front door. "Hey! Bird! Over here! Catch me!" He shouted while waving his hands in the air.

The bird dived again for Syaoran. Sakura instinctively closed her eyes as soon as she judged too late for the boy to dodge the bird's attack, but upon hearing no thud or scream she looked back. Syaoran had jumped on the bird's back and now soared through the sky with it.

"Hoe! How did he do that?" Sakura shouted wide eyed.

"The brat is not half bad. The training he received must have been very tough" Kerberos said to himself.

Syaoran waited until the bird had stopped its frenetic movements of protest and grabbed a talisman out of his pocket. The talisman began to glow and took form of a sword. He then picked up a small, rectangular piece of paper with Chinese words in it and pressed the side of his sword against it. "Raitai, Shiyou-rai!" He shouted. Lightning bolts emerged from his sword, stunning the bird. The card started falling down diagonally, on Sakura's direction. "Now! Kinomoto-san!"

Sakura raised her staff forward in her trembling hands. "Please work." She asked no one in particular. "Return to the shape you are meant to be in. Clow Card!"

A Card shaped glow appeared at the staff's ruby beak. The bird's body evaporated completely and the green smoke left from it was sucked to the glow causing The Fly card to appear.

"Ahhhh!" Syaoran was now heading directly towards Sakura at full speed. Without even thinking, the boy returned his sword to its talisman form to avoid a serious accident. Before anything else could be said or done he hit her, causing them to fly all the way inside the house and hit the wooden floor hardly.

Kerberos picked up the card and flew back inside the house, laughing hysterically while closing the door behind him. "Hahaha! You should have seen your faces... and the way you fell. But at least..." He stopped, realizing he was getting no response at all. "They're unconscious." He quickly placed the card back in the book where The Windy already resided. "Are they ok?"

He was about to check on the couple when a click was heard from the door.

"I'm home."

The guardian was about to answer the call when he remembered Syaoran's words.

_Fur ball doesn't know, but in modern times magic is much less accepted as real than it was back then._

Kerberos also recalled Sakura asking him to keep her magic a secret. Not moving a muscle was the best he could do at the moment. At least, whoever came in would think he was a doll or something. The rest was Sakura's and the brat's problem.

"I got home earlier cause soccer was..." Touya didn't bother to finish when saw the boy who was with Sakura on the floor. Syaoran was lying on top of Sakura. Sakura was unconscious and had a cut on her arm. _And he's laying on top of her!_ He thought. That would have been more than enough reason for him to rip his head off. "You brat! Whatareyoudoingwithmysister? Get off her this second or I'll kill you!"

Syaoran woke up. He was lying on something very soft and warm and a slow breathing gently caressed his face. But there was shouting disrupting his comfy rest. It had something to do with a brat, a sister and killing.

Realization hit him. _She said she had a brother!_ Syaoran opened his eyes fully and saw Sakura's face an inch away from his. His soft pillow was in fact Sakura's chest, and the breathing that caressed him was also coming from her.

He jumped away with a bit of clumsiness only to meet a very mad Touya. "I-I... I'm sorry! You must be Kinomoto-san's brother, right? I swear there is a good, reasonable explanation for this." He said holding his hands in front of him defensively.

"Yes, there is! You were attacking my sister!" He made sure the boy would get the 'my' part.

Syaoran found himself cornered and assumed a fighting pose. "I don't want to do this, but if you won't believe me I have no other choice." At this moment Sakura woke up.

She slowly opened her eyes and recognized the room around her. "Niichan! What are you doing here so soon?" Sakura said, surprised. She noticed that Syaoran was in a fighting stance glaring at Touya, and her brother was assuming his pose too. She got up and tried to put herself between them. "Let me introduce you two. Li-san, this is Touya, my brother. Touya, this is Li Syaoran, the Chinese boy who came here for otou-san's book."

Touya seemed unaffected by her words. "Why were you on the floor with her then?" He said, not taking his eyes of Syaoran.

At hearing this, Sakura remembered that Syaoran had fallen on top of her and blushed imagining the awkward position Touya had probably found them in. She looked at Kerberos, who was still on the floor. Apparently Touya hadn't even taken notice of him. She was relieved to find her staff back on its fake form on the floor beside him too.

She turned back to face Touya, ready to make an excuse. "Niichan! That was an accident. You see, I accidentally lost some cards that were inside his book, and when I was helping him look for them he accidentally fell on top of me, knocking us both unconscious." She said. It was the truth in some way.

"And what about that cut?" Touya looked at Sakura's left arm.

Syaoran stepped in. "Paper cut. Those cards... They're really sharp." The boy didn't think he was going to buy it.

Touya stared at him for a while and sniffed, apparently not completely satisfied. "If I ever see you doing anything to my sister, I'll kill before you know it!" The doorbell rang taking Touya off his threatening face. "It must be Yuki. I'm coming!"

Touya answered the door. It was Yukito. Both Syaoran and Sakura blushed at the sigh of the boy.

_That boy from before! Why is he here?_ Syaoran thought as he felt his heart race again. He looked at the floor to hide the red of his face. _Then again, he did say he was friend of a Kinomoto._

"Hey, Touya, good evening Sakura-chan. And you must be Li-kun. Touya told me about you. It's a pleasure to meet you again." At that, Sakura looked at them puzzled.

"You two already knew each other?" Sakura asked Yukito.

Yukito chuckled. "Not exactly. What happened is that I gave him directions to your house, Sakura-chan. What a coincidence, right?" Yukito grinned at Syaoran causing him to blush an even deeper shade red.

"Y-yeah... It's getting late. I must go home. Goodbye." Syaoran ran to the door.

"Wait!" Sakura held Syaoran's wrist. "How long are you staying in Japan?"

"I think I'll be here until I settle all of the matters involving that book. You can keep it for now." Sakura nodded and let go of his wrist. "Goodbye then." Sakura let out a smile again, but this time Syaoran ignored it. He ran faster than he knew he could, past Yukito and Touya, not intending looking back once, until he reached his apartment.

"Bye." Sakura and Yukito said in vain. Touya just kept staring at the door Syaoran had just gone through.

After a short silence Sakura turned her attention back to Yukito. "Are you staying for dinner Yukito-san?" She asked. Half of her wanted him to stay. The other half was crying for a bath and a bed to settle things down.

"Yup. Touya invited me." Sakura brightened up, forgetting completely about the other half.

"I'll just put my things back in my room and I'll be back in a minute." Sakura grabbed Kerberos, the book, the key and ran upstairs leaving a pissed off Touya and a cheerful Yukito.

* * *

Syaoran ran down the streets of Tomoeda. "What's wrong with me? Why do I feel so strange when I am near that Yukito boy? I need to lay down a bit." 

He arrived at his apartment and opened the door. "Good evening Syaoran-sama. Have you got the book yet?" The old Wei asked.

"Wei, my mother was right. We'll be staying in Japan for a while." Syaoran entered the huge hall and headed for his room not feeling like giving any more explanations.

"I see. I guess we should finish unpacking then." He said to the closed door with a concerned look on his face. "Though I think you'd rather be left alone tonight."

* * *

"Kerberos-san..." 

"What?"

"A few days ago, I had a dream. I though it was just a dream back then, but you and Li-san, and the Clow cards were all there, so I though it was really weird when I met you. And there was a woman too." Sakura described her whole dream to Kerberos while setting the book and her magical key on her desk.

"What you had was a prophetic dream, it tells you the future. Only a few people have the gift of having them. Clow for an instance. But that's to be expected from someone who could break the seal. " He thought for a while. "That woman in your dream, you will probably meet her sooner or later."

Sakura opened the door to her room ready to leave. "Well. You can stay here if you want to. just try not to make much noise. I don't want anyone finding out about you. I'll be back soon." She left the room.

* * *

Meanwhile, downstairs, Yukito and Touya were setting the dinner table. "Touya, don't be mad at the boy. Sakura said it was an accident. Why would she lie?" 

Touya rudely placed empty glasses in front of each seat, nearly breaking them. "I don't know, Yuki. But something tells me she's hiding something from me. She was acting strange." Touya looked up to where his sister had been.

"I'm sure she's fine. I didn't feel anything bad coming from that boy. He seems really nice." Yukito smiled.

Touya sighed. "You think everyone's nice."

Sakura entered the room. "Sorry, I was just putting some stuff in my room."

The rest of the night went pretty casually. After they said their goodbyes to Yukito, Sakura quickly ran back to the stairs. "Good night, oniichan. I'm really tired. Tell okaa-san I said good night when she gets home." She went upstairs to her bedroom.

Touya was left there looking at her with a concerned look. _What are you hiding from me Sakura?_

Sakura entered her room and saw Kerberos meditating. "Are you looking for the cards?" He just nodded slightly. "Have you found any?" He shook his head and opened his eyes.

"Sakura. Do you have the cards you just caught?" He asked, looking at the closed book.

"Yes. They're inside the book, right?" Sakura picked up the book in her hands and took The Fly and The Windy cards from inside.

"Good. Now summon your staff and use it with The Fly card. Just say the card's name and press your staff against it." Sakura did as she was told. She took the key on her desk, but found herself confused for a moment.

"How do I change it back?" She asked, shaking her hand to see if it would produce any effect.

"Just repeat what I say."

"The key that hides the forces of darkness!" He started chanting the spell and Sakura repeated each sentence he said. "Show your true shape in front of me! I, Sakura, command you under the contract." The key was now floating slightly above her hand and spinning around itself at an amazing speed, as if trying to break free from an invisible bind. "Release!" The key changed its shape the same way it did before.

Kerberos seemed satisfied. "Good. Now hit the card while calling its name."

"Are you sure? Won't that bird come back to attack me again?"

"No, trust me. You'll like it." He said.

Sakura hesitatingly threw the card in the air and hit it with the tip of the staff. "Fly!" White angelical wings grew at both sides of the ruby beak. Her eyes stared at the beautiful feathers in awe. "This is..."

"It can fly now. Each card has a different power, The Fly allows you to soar through the sky. The Windy allows you to control the wind. Why don't you try flying around? Just hop aboard your staff and take a jump"

"Is it safe?" Kerberos nodded. "Okay then." Sakura threw one leg around the staff and jumped. She was amazed to see her feet were not touching the wooden floor. "This is amazing!" She jumped out of her window anxious to experiment with her new power. "I'm flying!"

"See? I told you." He flew after her. "Why don't we fly around town a bit? It's been a while since I've done that."

* * *

Syaoran seated on his bed and looked through the glass door that led to his balcony. "I should warn mother about what happened." He went for the phone, but something else got his attention. There were two little moving dots in the sky. 

"That's..." He closed his eyes to concentrate. "That's the same aura I felt from The Fly card." He now recognized the objects as Sakura and Kerberos. "I guess she's already learned how to use the cards." He watched the two until he saw her start to descend back at her house. "She's not a bad magician after all."

He lied down on his bed again and stared at the roof, reflecting on that night's events. "And when she smiled that time, I felt something really strange, as if I already knew her." He shook his head trying to get that silly thought out. _What am I thinking?!_

* * *

Touya watched through his room's window as Sakura's silhouette got smaller and smaller. 

"What the..." He rubbed his eyes hopping he was imagining things, but he wasn't. His sister was hiding more from him than he had thought in the first place. She'd gotten into something big, and it was all that brat's fault. "I'll just make sure I stay awake until she returns, it's ok if she doesn't want to tell me."

"Is it really?" Touya felt a chill run down his spine. There was someone in his room.

"Who's there?" He turned around and his eyes widened in shock. "You! How did you get here?"

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**A/N:** _So, was it good for you? Do you feel like throwing up just from remembering the crap you just read? Whatever are your thoughts, please take your time to review. Seriously... you would be putting a little more happiness into this world_

_Well... Thanks for reading. See you next chapter._


	4. Sakura and the Storm, Part 1

Hello dear readers!

**A/N: **_Thank you for your reviews. Really, I loved them... Actually, I built a little shrine to them in the back of my closet and sacrificed several species of small furry animals to them. But lets not talk about that. Lets start what you really want to read. A pointless, unnecessary disclaimer!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own CCS! Nor have I ever owned it in any time of my life. I may own it in the future but that would involve some very expensive ninja-mercenaries and a lot of paperwork, so it's most likely that I'll stick with fan fiction... I really hate paperwork.**

_And some more Japanese lessons to go with the disclaimer:_

_Regarding honorifics, it's worth mentioning that **-san** is pretty much as common as **mr.** and **mrs.**, **-kun** is really common too, **-chan** on the other hand, shows great intimacy with the person and can be rude if used when referring to someone in the wrong context. **-sama** is formality at its max._

**Sensei -** _Honorific for teachers, professors, doctors and such_.

_And to top that, some repetitive information_:

"Character talking"

_Character thinking_

(Me talking)

_And finally..._

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 2:** _Sakura and the Storm_

**Part 1:** _That Weird Feeling When I'm Around Her_

Tuesday, May 29th. 3:30 am

Syaoran stared at the ceiling of his new bedroom, even though it was too dark to see anything past his nose.

The bedroom wasn't as big as the one he had back in Hong Kong, but it was still considerably big, and it had a private bathroom, which he suspected was bigger than the room itself. But those were not the thoughts that were keeping him awake at that time. He had tried to close his eyes many times, but the events from that night wouldn't get off his mind. He couldn't sleep. _That boy... Why do I feel so weird when I'm around him? And that girl... when she smiled... what was that? _These thoughts wandered his mind throughout the whole night.

The first sun beams finally crossed his green curtains making the whole room turn into a pleasant oceanic shade of green. Syaoran pushed his torso up and stood there for a few seconds, sitting on the bed. His head hurt and he wasn't sure if it was due to the lack of sleep or to the confusion that had settled itself in his thoughts.

A knock on the door woke him up from his nightlong trance. "Good morning, Syaoran-sama. I'm sorry to disturb you, but today is your first day at school and I think you don't want to be late."

Syaoran smiled. Even though Wei was a servant of the Li clan, he and Syaoran had always had a good understanding of each other that was something between a friendship and a student-master relationship. "Thank you, Wei. I'm going to take a bath. Could you please arrange some breakfast for us?" Syaoran slowly got up and headed for the door that led from his bedroom to the bathroom.

"Yes, Syaoran-sama, but hurry up, or else you'll be late. You don't want to make a bad first impression now, do you?" Came Wei's voice through the other door.

Syaoran undressed while keeping the bathroom door open so he could keep talking to Wei. "No. By the way, do you have the school's address?" He said, turning the hot water tap on. He was sure he had already come across Tomoeda Elementary in his long walk around the district the past day, but he wasn't as sure that he could find the way on his own again.

Wei took a few seconds to think before answering. "I'm sorry. I thought you had it."

Syaoran sighed. "As if I don't have enough problems to worry about." He muttered under his breath. He didn't have that disposition that filled him the past day and gave him energy to spend a whole day looking for a place just because he felt like it.

"What was that Syaoran-sama?"

"Nothing. I'll ask some people on the streets for the school. It can't be that hard to find it." He sank his body in the hot water and a wave of relief ran through his head. At least for the next few minutes he wouldn't have to worry about anything.

* * *

After living what had been the most thrilling and fantastical night of her life, Kinomoto Sakura had spent great part of her night explaining to her new magical roommate about some of the things that had happened in the past centuries in which he'd been asleep. She had felt great satisfaction as she showed him her video-game. The guardian seemed to be as impressed with it as she was when she saw him for the first time. Unfortunately, her moment of glory was over soon when she noticed it was hours past her bedtime. 

On the next morning, if one took a quick look around the Kinomoto's residence, one would never guess the events that had taken place there the night before. That is, until the moment that the weird stuffed bear on Sakura's desk would awake and start complaining about an infernal ringing.

Sakura was sleeping heavily, completely unaware of her loud alarm clock's noise filling the room. Kerberos on the other hand was very aware and very annoyed with it.

He gently poked the girl's face. "Sakura, wake up." He whispered in her ear, careful not to scare her, but she didn't move a muscle. He poked her again, a little harder. "Sakura, you're gonna be late." After a whole minute of fruitless poking and whispering he realized he would have to try a different approach. _I can't be too loud cause her family's going to notice me. Then the only option left is..._ He placed his paws on her nose and mouth blocking Sakura's breathing completely. After five seconds or so she showed signs of life.

Sakura was sucked back in reality. She felt like she had been sleeping for centuries and still she wanted to stay in bed for many decades more. It was only when she felt a strange lack of air current in her airways that she slowly opened her eyes. The lack of air was then easily explained. There was a huge yellow monster suffocating her. "Hoee! Help me! A monster!" She punched the monster really hard but only realized her mistake when it was already too late.

Kerberos massaged the back of his head, trying to ease the pain. "Sakura, what's your problem? I was just trying to wake you up cause you..." His sentence was interrupted when he heard the doorknob turning.

Touya stuck his head through the half-open door just in time to see Kerberos faking a stuffed bear pose. _Stupid thing! Who does he think he's fooling?_ Touya stared at him for a while, much to Kerbero's and Sakura's discomfort. He finally turned his attention back to Sakura ignoring her sigh of relief. "Poor monster, I knew we shouldn't have let you put this mirror in your room. It must be awful having to wake up and see yourself every morning."

"I'm not a monster oniichan! I was just having a nightmare!" She threw her pillow at him but he closed the door before it could connect. "Honestly!" She folded her arms and stared at the door for a couple of seconds until she realized that she was probably late for school. Looking at her alarm clock she sighed in relief again. "Phew. Just a couple of minutes late. I still have plenty of time."

"Thanks to me that is." Kerberos muttered, but was ignored by a rushing Sakura.

The girl got up from her bed and quickly changed into her school uniform, completely ignoring Kerberos' complaining about how sleepy she was as she did all of her basic morning stuff. "Bye, Kero-chan." She said, leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

'Kero-chan' looked at the door, annoyed. _Who gave her the right to call me Kero-chan?_

* * *

Syaoran had been walking around the streets of Tomoeda for a while again. He discovered that his memory wasn't as good as he had trusted it to be. "I'm sure it was somewhere around here." He said, carefully looking around to see if there were any signs of the school. As he turned around a corner, he was relived to see a familiar place. It was the convenience store near Sakura's house. "Maybe if I start from here I can backtrack my way to the school." 

"Are you lost?" A sweet voice asked him from his back. Syaoran jumped in surprise. He turned around to see himself face to face with a pair of emerald green eyes and a warm grin. The girl had a not so happy Touya beside her on his bike.

"Kinomoto-san!" Syaoran took a step back, considering his answer. He didn't want to make a fool out of himself. "It's none of your business!" He said in his defense.

Sakura seemed a bit disappointed with the boy's answer. "Well... But you're going to Tomoeda Elementary, right?" Syaoran merely nodded. Sakura brightened up again. "Good! Then you can come with us, Li-kun." Syaoran raised an eyebrow. He barely noticed as veins started popping out of Touya's head.

"Kun?" They said in unison, Syaoran with caution and Touya with anger. Then they glared at each other realizing what they had just done.

Sakura sweat dropped and let out a forced, insecure laugh. "I figured since you're staying in Japan for a while and we're going to the same school, it would be weird to keep calling you Li-san. I mean, we could become friends. What do you say?" She smiled at the boy.

Syaoran looked at her. For the split second their eyes met he felt that weird feeling from the dream again. He felt a strange impulse to say that yes, he'd love to befriend her, but much to his relief, when he turned his face away he felt in control of himself again. "Call me whatever you want, but hurry up or were gonna be late."

Touya grabbed Syaoran by the collar. "You better have some manners when talking to my sister, brat. I warned you last night. Next time..." He was very disturbed to see that Syaoran was looking at him with a bored expression instead of the frightened one he had been expecting.

"Oniichan. He didn't do anything. I told you, that was an accident." Touya gave one more menacing look to Syaoran before letting him go. Syaoran was still staring at Touya with a look that told him 'that's all, coward?'. Sakura stepped between them facing Syaoran. "I'm sorry. Oniichan is kind of overprotective sometimes." She whispered so Touya couldn't hear. "So, Li-kun, Shall we go?"

"Right."

And so they restarted their walk with Sakura between the other two and a tense mood surrounding them. Syaoran and Touya constantly exchanged meaningful glances but none of them let out a single word.

After some minutes of walking/skating/pedaling they finally came to a halt when they reached Yukito's house. He wasn't there. "Where's Yukito-san, oniichan?"

Syaoran looked at Sakura, confused. "Yukito? You mean that boy from last night?" He tensed up at the prospect of seeing Yukito again. _I don't want to go through that one more time._

"Yes. He's my brother's best friend. He's really sweet, you know? He's handsome too, and he never calls me a monster and..." Sakura tried to keep talking but was interrupted by Touya's hand on her mouth.

Touya looked at Syaoran and smirked. "She is completely in love with him." Sakura blushed bright red, but that didn't stop her from kicking Touya's shin. The boy immediately let go of her mouth to massage it.

Syaoran sweat dropped. He hadn't seen that aggressive side of Sakura yet. She looked at him and smiled uncomfortably noticing his surprised look. "He can be too annoying sometimes." Sakura turned to face Touya and quickly changed the subject. "Oniichan! You haven't answered my question yet. Where's Yukito-san?"

"He had to go to school early today, I guess. He said he had some pending homework to finish."

Sakura sighed. "Poor Yukito-san. He's such a dedicated student."

* * *

Later, at Tomoeda Elementary. 

"Wait here, Li-kun. Terada-sensei will call you in a minute." Sakura said, turning her back to the boy and heading inside the classroom.

Syaoran felt an urge to stop her, which he thought was kind of weird. He suddenly remembered the cut on Sakura's arm and was taken by concern. Without thinking, he put his hand on her shoulder, surprising himself. "How's your wound?" He looked at her left arm which was covered by her uniform's sleeve.

Sakura looked at him surprised that he cared about her wound. The fact that Syaoran quickly took his hand off her shoulder as if it was burning him showed her that he was just as surprised by his own question.

Sakura looked at her arm. "I had forgotten about it already. Last night I bandaged it, see?" She said, raising her sleeve to show the white bandages around her cut. "I think its ok now."

Syaoran smiled, unconsciously satisfied. "Good." Sakura giggled and the smile faded away from his face. "What's so funny?"

Sakura stopped giggling and grinned. "It's the first time I see you smiling for real."

Syaoran blushed, a nauseating feeling took hold of his stomach. "W-what?"

"It's just that you look better when you smile. I was beginning to think you were too grumpy." Sakura entered the classroom leaving a stunned Syaoran behind.

_What was that supposed to mean?! _He thought.

Sakura closed the door behind her. "Good morning, Sakura-chan." Her friends greeted her.

"Good morning." She answered while taking her seat.

She was feeling really weird being there, surrounded by her friends. As far as they knew, it was just another day, nothing to really care about. And there she was, with her life just turned upside down by magic, guardian beasts and all sorts of craziness. If she were to tell anybody, people would just laugh at her or think she's going nuts. She realized then that it wouldn't be easy to go on with her normal life with such a huge secret. She'd have to learn to separate her usual life from the new one she'd just been presented to so she could maintain her friendships without hesitating all the time. After all, she looked at her friends and knew that she was already lying to them.

Tomoyo was already seating on the desk beside Sakura when she arrived. She had a sly grin on her face. "So Sakura-chan, How was it yesterday? Did anything weird happen?" She asked incisively. Sakura nearly fell out of her seat at Tomoyo's question.

"Hoe? What do you mean Tomoyo-chan? It was just an ordinary day." She said, looking at no particular spot through the window. Tomoyo was obviously not convinced.

"Are you sure? Cause yesterday I was going to visit you and I saw you and that boy put up quite a show with that big bird." She said rather casually. Sakura saw a satisfied smile form on Tomoyo's face and accounted that to the dumbfounded face she probably had at that moment. "I thought I should talk to you then, but then your brother arrived and..." She trailed off for a second. "Well, I thought it could wait till today." She said quickly, like someone who's just though of an excuse. Sakura didn't notice it though.

"Hoe! You saw everything?" Tomoyo nodded. Sakura sunk in her chair feeling defeated. "Guess there's no use hiding it from you now is there?"

"You owe me a lot of explanations Sakura-chan. But leave it for lunchtime cause Terada-sensei's just entered the classroom." Sakura looked at the door and saw Terada coming in.

"Good morning." He said.

"Good morning Terada-sensei." The students' choir answered.

"Today we have a new student. He's a transfer student from Hong Kong and should be staying with us for at least the rest of the year. Let's all give him a nice welcome." He faced the door. "You can come in now."

Syaoran entered the room and instantly a wave of whispers ran through the classroom. 'He's so cute.' and 'His look is kind of creepy.' being the most repeated. Terada forced a loud cough to silence the students. "You may introduce yourself."

Syaoran wrote his name in huge letters on the blackboard. "My name is Li Syaoran. Pleased to meet you." He said, bowing.

"Let's see." Terada studied the classroom for a couple of seconds. "There's a free seat behind Kinomoto-san. Kinomoto-san, raise your hand so Li-kun can see you." Sakura raised her hand, even though she knew it wasn't necessary. Syaoran was already heading towards her. "OK, now let's begin. Did everyone do their homework?"

* * *

At lunchtime Sakura, Syaoran and Tomoyo were having lunch together under a cherry tree right beside the basketball courts. 

"WHAT?!" Syaoran exclaimed. "How did she find out about it? Didn't we agree to keep it a secret?"

"Calm down Li-kun. We don't need the whole school to know." Sakura said forcing Syaoran to sit down. "You see, Tomoyo-chan was going to visit me yesterday and she saw us fighting The Fly card... and well, she's my best friend so we can trust her." She said, almost begging. "Besides, we should pray that nobody else saw it, cause that was a really scandalous fight we had yesterday."

"Yes. And now you two will tell me what that bird was doing there and why were you fighting it." Tomoyo said, not as if she was ordering them, but as if that was already an established fact. Sakura looked at Syaoran with a 'Please forgive me' look.

Syaoran sighed in defeat. "OK, I'll tell you."

And so, he and Sakura went on and on, talking about Clow, the cards and Kero. In the middle of the story, Tomoyo's mouth was half open and her eyes had an innocent sparkle in them that could only be compared to the look of a child that just got the Christmas present she'd been waiting for the whole year.

When Syaoran finished talking she let out a loud squeal and hugged Sakura. "I can't believe it. Sakura-chan is now a heroine that fights against evil monsters. It's like a fairy tale."

Sakura tried to pull herself out of the girls grasp but it seemed like an impossible task. "Tomoyo-chan, it's not exactly like that..." But her words were lost in Tomoyo's dreamland.

"You can't tell this to anybody Daidouji-san. It's bad enough that you know." Syaoran's words also failed in reaching the girl.

Suddenly, Tomoyo let go of her hug and took Sakura's hands in hers staring deeply at the girls emerald eyes. "Sakura-chan! You have to tell me whenever a new card appears so I can record you capturing it in my new video camera!" Sakura sweat dropped. "I can't let this sort of adventure go unregistered!"

"Huh, Tomoyo-chan..." She was cut off by the melody of a bell, telling them lunch time was over. "Oh. Let's go, classes are going to start." Sakura quickly ran back to the school relieved she had avoided an answer to Tomoyo's request.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Seijou High, Touya and Yukito were having their own lunch on a bench right next to the building's front door. 

Touya watched as Yukito shoved enough food to feed an army in his mouth. "How can you eat that much? There's not enough room in you for all that." He said.

Yukito swallowed a big lump of food before answering. "I don't know. I just get really hungry. People always tell me that I should be thankful I'm not fat." He said and laughed joyfully at his own remark. "So, did you figure out why was Sakura acting strange last night?"

Touya nodded with a serious face, looking at his feet. "I did. She and the brat were hiding something from me after all. Something big."

Yukito looked at Touya, a bit puzzled. "You don't mean they're..."

Touya shook his head. "Don't be silly. If they were in a relationship I would have had the brat's head the same minute I found out. But right now I wouldn't dare to lay a finger on him."

"Why not?" Yukito asked. "The way you talked to him last night I thought you wouldn't even need an excuse to fight him."

Touya sighed. He knew the exact answer to that question now. "I'm sorry... But I can't tell you that. Not yet." He got up and headed back for the large front door beside them.

"T-Touya..." Yukito's eyes followed Touya as he disappeared inside the school building.

Touya walked aimlessly through the corridors until the bell rung. The answer to Yukito's question couldn't be told, not only because it would lead to a secret Yukito was not ready to find out, but also because it hurt his pride to say those words out loud.

_Because right now he's the only one that can protect her._

* * *

After school period was over, Sakura and Tomoyo were leaving the class with Syaoran following right behind them. 

"Kinomoto-san, Li-kun, can I have a word with you two?" Sakura and Syaoran halted. They turned around and were glad to see that the sensei was smiling rather than scolding them.

"Sure, Terada-sensei." They answered.

All the students left the classroom and soon Sakura and Syaoran were the only ones left. Tomoyo was left standing right outside, waiting for Sakura.

Terada sat on his desk and signaled for the other two to sit down. "Li-kun, I noticed you had some trouble in the Japanese Language class." He said.

"Well, I have no problem with talking, but when it comes to writing..." He trailed off.

"You're having difficulties with our writing." Terada completed for him.

Syaoran nodded. "I guess I'm still kind of adjusting." He answered, wondering where that conversation was taking him, and what did Sakura have to do with it.

Terada looked at Sakura, who also seemed oblivious to her purpose there, and then back at Syaoran. "I've also noticed that you and Kinomoto-san are already acquainted, after all, I didn't really see you talking to anyone but her today."

Syaoran hesitated a little but nodded. "You can say that." He hadn't really bothered to make any friends. _And she's the one who kept talking to me during classes._ He thought. It didn't take much more time for him to understand what Terada was trying to say.

Terada turned to Sakura, ready to speak and confirm Syaoran's suspicions. "Kinomoto-san, I usually don't ask this of my students, but since he's a foreign student I can make an exception. Could you help Li-kun with his Japanese Language homeworks? Since you have excellent grades in Japanese I suppose you would be of great help to him."

Sakura looked at Syaoran expecting to see any hints to his opinion on the matter, but he wasn't looking at her so she decided to speak aloud. "Is it okay with you Li-kun?" She asked sweetly.

Syaoran tensed up for a second. He felt a deep desire to say yes for the second time that day. He knew that if he said yes he would be able to spend more time in her presence and, for some reason he couldn't understand, he felt as if it was the right thing to do. He widened his eyes as that thought crossed his mind. _I don't need to be around her! Why would I need to be around her?_ He looked at Sakura's eyes and those feelings from his dream came back to him again. That irrational desire to protect her and the anger at her aggressors. He found himself lost in that though, arguing with himself whether he wanted her help or not.

"Li-kun!" Syaoran realized he'd been thinking too much and Sakura was still waiting for an answer. But now instead of her sweet smile she had a concerned face and was waving her hand in front of Syaoran's eyes. "Are you ok? You kind of dazed off..."

Syaoran jumped back, blushing, and tried to find something to say. He opted for pretending nothing had happened and just answered Sakura's question. "I don't mind you helping me if that's what you mean." He said, doing his best to keep a cool face while paying an unusually big attention to a particular leaf on the cherry tree just outside the window.

Sakura thought it would be best to ignore the weird episode too and went instantly back to her cheerful self. She clasped her hands together and nodded satisfied with Syaoran's answer. "Great. Then it's settled." She faced Terada. "Is that all, Terada-sensei?" The teacher nodded. "OK then. Bye."

"Bye." he answered following the couple outside the room.

Sakura left the room and was immediately pressed against the wall by Tomoyo's curious eyes. "Sakura-chan, what did Terada-sensei want with you and Li-kun?"

Syaoran answered for Sakura, not looking at either of them. He actually made a point to show he didn't really care for the words leaving his lips and walked away from them as he talked. "He asked Kinomoto-san to help me with my homework, since my Japanese is still not that good." He said.

Tomoyo looked inquisitively at Sakura. The girl nodded, confirming Syaoran's story.

Sakura and Tomoyo walked after Syaoran, but the boy began taking larger steps and seemed to be making an effort to stay at least twenty feet ahead of them. Sakura who, unlike Tomoyo, was completely clueless to the fact that Syaoran was doing that on purpose walked closer to him at a speed that would force him to run if he wanted to keep his distance. "Li-kun, we should check the days I can visit you, or you can visit me, so we can do homework together."

Syaoran sighed. He didn't feel like talking to anybody, especially Sakura. He had too much on his mind and needed time alone. "Let's see. On Wednesdays and Fridays I have soccer training, I'm available on the rest of the week." He said while opening his locker.

Sakura opened her locker too. "I have cheerleading practice on Mondays and Fridays, so that leaves us with Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends." She said, raising one finger of her closed left hand as she mentioned each day.

Syaoran slammed his locker shut and jumped back a bit in fake surprise to pretend it was an accident. He faced Sakura again and the words started leaving his mouth. "Yeah. We can go to my house today if you want to." He nearly slapped his mouth in an attempt to shut it as he spoke. _Why do I keep saying these stupid things? And why do I feel as if I actually want to say them?_

Sakura closed her locker. "Sure, that would be... huh? Where's Tomoyo-chan?" She looked around but found nobody.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a limousine just outside the school gates. 

Tomoyo watched the school get smaller as the limousine accelerated. She smiled to herself.

_Those two forgot completely about me as they talked._ She giggled. _I would be offended if that didn't mean those two really have something between them. Even Li-kun who seems so grumpy was all nervous when Sakura got close. He obviously has a thing for her._

Her smile widened. _If Sakura-chan and Li-kun actually started going out it would be amazing. Two heroes in love. It really is like a fairy tale._ She laughed at her own silly thoughts but couldn't stop thinking about them for the next minutes.

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**A/N: **_And that's another one for the records. Once again, I hope you enjoyed it. Don't be shy about saying what you thought of it. I won't be offended if you think it sucks too. Go ahead and say whatever's going through your mind, but say something!_

_Thanks, bye!_


	5. Sakura and the Storm, Part 2

Yet again, hello.

**A/N:** _As a routine I__'d like to thank for your reviews. Not that I do it just because it's routine. I really am grateful. So, from the bottom of my heart, thanks._

**Disclaimer: I shouldn't have to disclaim CCS. I mean, when have I ever claimed it in the first place. Honestly these things don't make any sense. **

_Here's some more Japanese for you, my friends:_

**Yatta -** _Used to celebrate something good that has happened. Like: __"Yatta! I'm finally old enough to drink legally!"_

_Info:_

"Character talking"

_Character thinking_

(Me talking)

_Story:_

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 2:** _Sakura and the Storm_

**Part 2:** _Partly Cloudy With Chances of Rain_

"I called my mother and told her I will be home a little late today. So, shall we go Li-kun?" Sakura skipped her way out of the school gates followed by Syaoran who seemed to be immersed in his own thoughts.

_I don't... 'Like' her. Do I? No, that can't be. She's kind of annoying actually. And I don't feel like cuddling her at all._ He thought, remembering his supposed girlfriend back in Hong Kong. _Then why do I feel so weird around her? Could it be her aura? Yeah! That must be it. Her magic is powerful enough to break the seal so that means her aura must be powerful enough to make me feel unease. It's just a matter of getting used to her aura. That's all!_ He smiled to himself, satisfied with his conclusion.

"Bleh!"

"Huh?!" He fell back in the real word. Sakura broke his concentration just like she did when they were talking to Terada-sensei. This time, however, she didn't look concerned. Instead, she was making an ugly face, using both her hands to pull her lips as far as she could and sticking her tongue out.

When she noticed Syaoran's gaze falling down upon her eyes she started to laugh. "You dazed off again. You just stopped walking and looked down. I thought you'd stepped on something, but then you weren't answering when I called and you started making some weird faces and..." She stopped, noticing Syaoran didn't find it funny at all. "So... what were you thinking about?" She asked.

Syaoran immediately changed the subject, not wanting to discuss that subject with her, since she was, in fact, the subject. "Why do you always have to be so overly energetic?" He said, starting to walk again.

Sakura frowned. "That's just my personality, if you don't like it, I don't care." She pulled the skin under her eye down and stuck her tongue out at him. Syaoran's face formed itself into a smile from her cute pouting, but it faded away as soon as he noticed it. Sakura forgot completely about Syaoran's last words when she caught a fleeting glimpse of his smile. "Hoe? You smiled again!" She said in a teasing but friendly tone, now walking backwards so she could face Syaoran directly.

"No, I didn't. It was your imagination." Syaoran looked away. _She really is annoying._

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Of course you did."

He came to a halt and looked back at Sakura. He frowned upon seeing her teasing smile and took a deep breath. "If I'm saying I didn't it's because I..." Syaoran was cut of by a drop of water falling on the tip his nose. "It's raining." He stated, forgetting what he was going to say.

Sakura felt a couple of raindrops fall on her as well. "It's just a soft rain. We can still go to your house." As if on cue, the soft rain turned instantly into a rainstorm, soaking both Syaoran and Sakura. "Hoe! How did that happen?"

"Never mind that, let's look for shelter." He looked around for anything to cover them. "There! Under that giant penguin." They ran under the big, blue, penguin king slide at the middle of the local park. There was a convenient space inside penguin king which was just big enough for the couple to sit down without their heads touching the ceiling.

"What was that?" Sakura looked over at Syaoran who was seating right beside her. "It was sunny a few minutes ago."

Syaoran was looking at the sky, but Sakura couldn't tell what he was looking at. "It's a Clow card. The..." He was cut off by a familiar voice coming from behind him.

"The Storm card." Syaoran and Sakura turned around towards the voice.

Sakura smiled when she saw who it was. "Kero-chan!"

Kero frowned. "Who gave you the right to call me that, Sakura?" He protested.

Sakura giggled. "I think it matches you. I mean, a cute flying... thing like you should have a cute name. And Kerberos looks like the name of some spooky monster." She said, her voice showing a hint of disgust when saying the word 'Kerberos'.

Kero made a pose. "You're wrong. People should adore my gracious form with a powerful name like Kerberos." Sakura sweat dropped. "But... I'll allow you to call me Kero."

"You're just an egocentric stuffed toy." Syaoran said under his breath.

Veins popped out of Kero's head. "What did you call me, brat?"

Syaoran glared at him. "Who's the brat?" He extended his hands to grab Kero but Sakura stopped him.

"Li-kun! Kero-chan! We need to lock the card! It's not time for fighting." Her obvious argument succeeded in getting both Syaoran's and Kero's attention. "Kero-chan, first of all, when did you get here?"

Kero's face turned serious again. "I felt the presence of a Clow Card, so I followed its presence to get here."

"Kinomoto-san, do you have your staff and the cards we already captured with you?" Syaoran asked.

"Yes, they are right here." She took out the cards and her magical key.

"Ok, I have a plan to get the card." He looked up at the sky. There was a pink cloud that covered the sky above them. "See that cloud over there?" It was pretty obvious which cloud he wanted Sakura to see. The pink color really stood out in the sky.

"I do." She looked up at the sky too, seeing the cloud that was getting bigger each second.

Syaoran proceeded. "The card is hiding inside of it. You could use The Fly card to get there but it would do you no good cause you can't capture it while flying with your staff." He made a short pause to see if Sakura was keeping up with his thoughts. "So I..." Kero flew between Sakura and Syaoran.

"The brat uses his wind magic to throw you into the cloud and you capture it. You won't fall on the floor cause his wind magic will soften the fall." Syaoran glared at him.

"No, that's..." He was interrupted again, this time by Sakura.

"Alright, let's go." Sakura ran out of the shelter followed by Kero.

"But..." It was too late. _I meant for me to go up there with her Windy card. I don't want to put her in danger._ He thought, following them nevertheless.

Sakura summoned her staff. "I'm ready, Li-kun." She said with determination.

Syaoran sighed, it was all happening too fast and he wasn't sure about what he was doing. It just felt like something was wrong in that plan.

"Alright, but be careful." He said unconsciously. Sakura smiled at him and nodded. Her smile made him feel uneasy, just like it had in the past few times. "Huh... Ready?" He said, not feeling ready himself. The girl looked at the sky and nodded slowly. "Good." He summoned his sword and took a piece of paper from his pocket. "Huu-ga, Shiyou-rai!" He shouted, pressing his sword against the little inscription on the paper.

A strong gust of wind sent Sakura violently flying towards the cloud.

"Let's just hope she can do it." Kero said as Sakura disappeared into the dense cloud.

"Hoeee!" Sakura grabbed her staff tightly. Her speed was slowly decreasing, which meant that soon she would stop going up and start falling.

_Calm down Sakura, you still have to lock the card. Huh? There it is!_

She looked up to see a very small girl with curly hair. Everything on her, from her skin to her clothes, was pink like the cloud surrounding them. Sakura positioned herself in a sudden moment of courage, provided by the adrenalin running through her. "Get ready Storm. Return to the shape you are meant to be in. Clow card!"

Sakura thought at first that her magic had failed, since the gravity was acting on her body much faster than her magic was acting on the card. But after a second that seemed like a whole hour, the clouds around her vanished and the curly haired girl's energy materialized a small card in front of her, just like the fly had before.

"Yatta!" She reached for the card, but her happiness soon vanished as she noticed the card fly away from her fingers. "Hoe?" It didn't take half a second to realize that it wasn't the card that was fleeing. She was falling.

"Kyahhh!" She looked down and saw that she was much higher than she had imagined. Syaoran and Kero were barely visible as tiny dots in the distance. After three seconds falling she felt numbness take over and everything turned white. She'd fainted.

"You did it Sakura!" Kero shouted, but it was in vain. Even if Sakura were awake she wouldn't be able to hear him.

Syaoran looked at Sakura's body falling like a lifeless doll and a thought crossed his mind. _What if I mess up?_ Several images of Sakura falling down directly on the floor flashed inside his head. He tightened his grip on his sword and felt his throat dry up. A feeling he could not quite explain was running through him. It was a simple task to stop Sakura from falling down, but he wasn't sure he could do it anymore. Though part of him said it was obvious he could, he couldn't feel any confidence.

"Now, brat!" He felt a kick on his face. When he looked back up he saw Sakura was dangerously close to the floor already. His conscious self lost all power over his actions.

He didn't even think as he pulled another paper from his pocket. "Huu-ga, Shiyou-rai!" Sakura was still twenty feet away from the floor when the magic started taking effect, but that was still nearly not enough considering the high speed of her fall.

Syaoran watched as Kero flew to Sakura's prone body that had just been gently laid on the floor by his magic. His body was still working at full speed. It would probably take a couple of minutes for it to accept that danger was over.

Kero slapped Sakura's face. "Sakura, wake up!" Sakura's eyes twitched a bit. "Are you ok?"

She slowly opened her eyes. "I... I did it Kero-chan." She said smiling.

Kero smiled, relieved. "You're ok. So... where is it?" He said, looking around for any trace of the card.

Sakura looked up. The card was slowly falling from the sky. "It's still falling, look." She pointed to the card at the same moment that the wind changed its course and it started falling in a different direction. In the middle of the houses of Tomoeda, to be more precise. "Hoe? It's getting away."

"After it! We can't let it free itself again!" Kero said, flying after the card with Sakura right behind him.

Syaoran chose not to go after them. Or rather, was too distracted with his own thoughts to do so.

_This was different from my dream..._ He returned his sword to its talisman form and wandered slowly back to his house.

* * *

"Got it!" Sakura picked up the card from the floor. 

Kero sighed in relief. "Good. If we had taken too long..."

Sakura opened her backpack and took the Clow book out of it. "There you go." She said, putting the card back in the book. "I got three cards already. We'll be done before we know it. How many cards are there left?" She asked, putting the book back.

"Forty nine." Sakura dropped her backpack in shock.

"Hoe! I thought there where something like twenty cards! How can someone make so many different cards?" She said.

"Didn't you see how thick the book... Wait! Someone is coming." He looked at a corner where steps and conversation could be heard louder each second.

Sakura picked her schoolbag. "Quick! Hide in here." She relaxed her spirit, making her staff return to its key form. "Let's go... Huh? Where's Li-kun?"

* * *

Syaoran was walking back to his apartment. He had his hands in his pockets and was walking at a very slow pace, looking down. _In the dream I was so angry. But when I'm around her... It feels like it's not really me. It's like I turn into somebody else. Could her aura alone be doing that?_

"Found you!" Syaoran stopped. He wasn't surprised by the voice that came from behind him, but still, he sighed wishing to be left alone. "What happened? We were going after the Clow Card and we didn't see you. Then we went back to the park and your backpack was there, but you were gone." Syaoran turned to face her and saw that she was in fact holding his backpack in her hands. "Did you find a Clow Card or something? Kero-chan thought you might have. He's out there looking for you too." She said.

Syaoran shook his head. He tried to be as direct as possible in his words so he wouldn't end up saying something uncharacteristic again. "I just thought you could handle it on your own." He took his backpack from Sakura's hand. "Thanks for bringing it to me." He started to walk away from Sakura. "Bye."

Sakura followed him. "But aren't we going to study today?"

Syaoran stopped and faced Sakura. He had forgotten about the study time, but was glad to find a good excuse to avoid it just by looking at her. "We're all wet from the rain. You should go to your house and take a bath. I gotta clean up too."

Sakura nodded. "So... Another day then?"

Syaoran sighed. "Yeah... Another day, I guess."

They said their goodbyes and headed to different directions. Sakura was oblivious to the fact that as soon as Syaoran arrived at his room he would spend the rest of his day trying to figure out what he had felt the moment she was unconscious. Syaoran had found himself rather obsessed with that moment. He was almost sure by now that there was something happening with him that was beyond his own thoughts and feelings.

* * *

Not much time after talking to Syaoran, Sakura arrived at her house. As soon as she stepped in, she saw Touya coming down the stairs. 

"Monster, where were you?" He noticed Sakura's wet clothes. "What the... What happened?" He asked as Sakura removed her shoes.

"It was raining." She said, but got a weird look from Touya.

"No it wasn't." He said, raising an eyebrow.

"The rain didn't get here? It was a quick, small rain. It's not that surprising that it couldn't even cover all of Tomoeda." She had a feeling that Touya was still not convinced.

Touya sighed. "Go take off these wet clothes and take a bath, you'll get a cold... And you're getting the whole house wet" Sakura nodded before running up to her room.

She opened the door and saw Kero playing her video-game. "Hey, Kero-chan."

"Hey." Kero didn't even look up to speak. He seemed much too focused on the TV screen.

"How can you play this when you can hardly reach the buttons?" Sakura was surprised to see Kero's high score. "Hoe! You're good."

"Ha ha ha! I am the video-game master! No one can beat me!" He made a fighting pose imitating his character from the game. Not half a second latter he was back with his eyes on the screen.

Sakura smiled, amused. She opened her closet and took clean clothes out. "I found Li-kun. Turns out he didn't find any card." She said while going through her underwear drawer. "He just thought we didn't need his help to pick up the card."

"Too bad." Kero said as he mashed the buttons.

Sakura took her bundle of clothes and reached for the doorknob. "I'm going to shower now." Kero was too distracted with the video-game now to care about what she was saying.

"Good luck." He answered.

Sakura looked at him curiously and sighed. "Oh, forget it."

TO BE CONTINUED...

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**A/N:** _OK... You've done so much as read five chapters of my story so far... that takes plenty of minutes to do right? So why not take a couple more to review? It's SO easy and it makes people so happy. You can't argue with that can you? I mean... You've already gone so far, you might as well finish the job._

_Anyway... Thanks for reading (and reviewing if you do). See you next chapter!_


	6. Sakura and the Thunder, Part 1

Hello again, dear reader.

**A/N:** Liking _the story so far? Well, that's good... Or bad, if you're not... Well, on with the story!_

**Forget what I said. Let's go to the disclaimer, then the story: Since I have to write this I'll just do it as simply as possible. I don't own CCS. So don't sue me. If you do you will be wrong. And I'll sue you for suing me!**

_Oh... and just in case you're wondering, and you should be cause I forgot to mention it, even though Sakura and her friends are two years older in my fic, Touya and Yukito are just as old as they were in the original CCS (That's 17), putting them on the second year of high school according to Japanese standards. So yeah, the age gap between Touya and Sakura is two years smaller here. As a matter of fact, all characters that don't have the same approximate age as Sakura has the same age here as in the original story, unless I say otherwise._

One more thing. In Japan, every young boy and girl has classes on Saturday. You might think that's obvious or not. Here in Brazil we don't, so I assume there might be people reading this who also think it is a strange thing to have classes on Saturday.

On with the story...

"Character talking"

º_Character thinking_º

(Me talking)

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 3:** _Sakura and the Thunder_

**Part 1:**_ Syaoran's Crush?_

Friday, June 1st, Sakura's room.

"So cute!" Tomoyo squealed in delight. "Sakura-chan, you look so beautiful in this dress. You look great too Kero-chan."

Sakura looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was feeling extremely embarrassed and couldn't stop fidgeting inside the dress she wore. "Tomoyo-chan, why do I have to wear this?"

Tomoyo opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Kero, who had a blue cape tied around his neck and was making several poses in front of the mirror. "Because people like us have to wear clothes like these. Clow-san wore a magic cloak that made him look mysterious and powerful. You have to use something special too. Your image is a part of you Sakura."

Sakura didn't have time to protest cause Tomoyo had already interrupted her. The girl was staring at Sakura with a scary, determined look. "He's right, Sakura-chan. Yesterday, I told Li-kun I wanted to make him a cool looking suit, but he said he wouldn't wear it. You know why?" Sakura shook her head helplessly. "Because he already had one! You're the only heroine left for me to dress, don't disappoint me Sakura-chan." She said fiercely.

Sakura sweat dropped and sighed in defeat. "Ok, Tomoyo-chan, but I'm only doing this for you." Tomoyo immediately jumped to hug her best friend.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan. You won't regret it. I'll make the most beautiful clothes for you." She said, but as soon as she let go of Sakura, the 'heroine' was already trying to reach for the ribbons at her back.

"Why are these things so hard to put on and off?" She complained, contorting herself to reach the ribbons.

Tomoyo giggled. "Here, let me help you." And so, after untying lots and lots of ribbons, the girl was finally free of the dress.

Sakura was still putting back her normal set of clothes when her mother's voice came from downstairs. "Sakura-chan, Tomoyo-chan, dinner's ready."

"Coming!" Sakura shouted before opening the door to her bedroom and making room for Tomoyo to pass.

She followed after Tomoyo and closed the door, but not before hearing Kero's cry. "Bring me something from the dessert!" Sakura sighed. She had found out that, being a magical creature, Kero didn't really have to eat, but still, he seemed to have a craving for food that Sakura sometimes thought was bigger than Yukito's.

As they walked downstairs, Tomoyo jumped to another subject. "So, how did it go yesterday at Li-kun's house? This time there was no Storm or any card like that to stop you, right?" She asked.

Sakura hesitated a bit. "Well... He said he had something else to do and just went running down the street. I think it was something really important cause he seemed to be in a rush."

Tomoyo frowned. º_I knew it. Li-kun is definitely avoiding Sakura-chan._º

Ever since the Storm incident, Syaoran hadn't really talked much with any of them. Tomoyo was sure she even saw him climb up a tree to avoid them when she and Sakura went under it to have lunch at school. "But you're going to go there on next Tuesday, right?"

Sakura nodded. "I think so."

* * *

Syaoran waved his sword around the roof of his building. He had chosen that place as his training spot seeing as it was roomy and there were no taller buildings around so no one could see him doing magic. He suspected his mother had that in mind when she rented the apartment on the top floor that came with exclusive use of the roof. 

Wei came out of the door that led to the apartment. "Syaoran-sama, dinner is ready."

Syaoran completed a sequence of sword waves and retrieved the sword to its talisman form.

"Thank you, Wei. I'll be down in a minute." He sat on a plastic chair and looked up at the sky. ºIt has _been 3 days since we captured The Storm and I still can't act normally around her._º In the days that followed the Storm incident, Syaoran had in fact been avoiding Sakura. He felt extremely bad every time he talked to her now. He felt as if someone else was telling him to say the things he said and feel the way he felt. He actually had to run from Sakura to help himself from inviting her to study with him the last day. The less time he spoke with her or even looked at her the better for his own sanity. That's what he had concluded.

After a couple of minutes had gone by, Syaoran followed Wei inside the apartment.

"Syaoran-sama, your mother will be disappointed upon hearing that you have been putting so little effort in looking for the cards, don't you think?" Wei asked cautiously, sitting on the dinner table.

Syaoran sighed, sitting on the opposite side of the table. "I know, but what can I do? I don't have the gift of sensing magic. I can only feel magical auras that are close by, unless they're actually manifesting themselves intensively. So far, the Clow Cards don't seem to be acting much."

Wei started eating his ramen noodles. "What about the guardian, Kerberos? Can't he sense a dormant aura?" He asked.

Syaoran sighed again. "I think if he could do so, he and the Kinomoto girl would already have found more cards."

Wei looked through the window in deep thought. "And what about her?" He asked, more serious than usual.

Syaoran stopped eating and remained silent for a while. "Her magic skills are really something. The first time I sensed her aura was when she broke the seal. I was surprised with the amount of power she had. Then I saw her using the cards and her staff. Her magic is probably much stronger than mine. If she actually trained she would become a very powerful magician." He made a dramatic pause to consider his next words. "I think that, if trained, there's a big chance that she will be able to sense any kind of aura, anywhere."

Wei nodded. "See? There's still a chance."

And so they remained silent until the end of the meal, upon which Wei spoke again.

"You have to write a letter to your mother every week, don't you? I recommend you to begin working on it." He said. "At least, you'll have optimistic plans to tell her."

Syaoran got up and picked his now empty bowl. "You're right. I'm going to write it right now." After washing the bowl he left for his room.

He was feeling extremely satisfied after that conversation and, though he constantly denied it in his mind, he knew it was due to the fact that he would now have an obligation to see Sakura and train her, and mainly due to the fact that if he trained her safety would be his responsibility. He wouldn't have to trust anyone but himself to make sure that she would be able to defend herself.

He made sure to hide those thoughts from himself in the back on his mind, though.

* * *

The next day, Sakura and Tomoyo were walking by the Penguin Park on their way back from school. 

Sakura was walking slowly and had her eyes half-closed. She was letting out a yawn every couple of minutes and that had been starting to bother Tomoyo. Worry rather.

As they passed by the park, Sakura remembered the capturing of The Storm and consequently of Syaoran. "Tomoyo-chan, do you have any idea why Li-kun skipped school today?" She asked sleepily.

Tomoyo shook her head. "I don't know, but for him to skip school on his first week it must've been something very important."

Sakura nodded in agreement and was about to say something but a sudden urge to yawn stopped her. "Yawn! I feel so tired. I could barely keep my eyes open on today's classes."

"Have you been getting enough sleep lately?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura seemed to have completely ignored the question. Her eyes were barely open now. Suddenly, her feet gave in. She would have fallen down if Tomoyo hadn't grabbed her.

"Sakura-chan! Are you ok?" She dragged Sakura to a bench.

Sakura shook her head hard trying to get her brain to work properly. "I... I don't know... I'm hungry."

Tomoyo took a rice ball out of her lunchbox, which she took out of her school bag. "Here. It's all I've got left from lunch."

Sakura took the rice ball and ate it very fast. Kero popped out of her backpack, but neither of the girls was surprised by his sudden appearance. He had gone to school with Sakura intending to talk with Syaoran, but in the end it had been a waste of time. "It's normal you feel tired because..."

"Her body is still getting used to using its magic." They all turned around only to see Syaoran standing there completing Kero's sentence much like the guardian had done with a few times in the past.

"Li-kun! How long have you been here?" Sakura asked, surprised.

"Just arrived." He answered, not looking at Sakura directly in the eye.

"Hey, brat! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt magical guardians while they're talking?" Kero glared at Syaoran and Syaoran glared back.

"And don't you know it's rude to call people 'brat'? Fur ball!" He said. Sakura and Tomoyo sweat dropped at their childish discussion.

"So, Li-kun..." Tomoyo said, trying to stop the glaring contest. "Where were you this morning?"

Syaoran turned his attention to Tomoyo and after taking a couple of seconds to think about his answer he said. "I had something important to do. Nothing that concerns you." He said.

Tomoyo didn't feel like he was going to tell them anything more than that, so she decided to change the subject. "Then what are you doing here now?" She asked.

This time Syaoran didn't hesitate to speak. "Actually, I was looking for the post office, but... well I had to talk to Kinomoto-san anyway, so I can just kill two birds with one stone."

"We'll show you where the post office is, we'll talk in the way." Sakura said, not as cheerfully as she normally would have. A lazy smile on her face. "Go back to the backpack Kero-chan. You follow me." She got up, picked her backpack with Kero in it and walked past Syaoran and Tomoyo.

"Thank you." Syaoran said quickly, but firmly. He'd been measuring every word he said before opening his mouth to talk to Sakura.

"So, Li-Kun, what did you want to talk about?" Tomoyo asked as they started walking behind Sakura.

Sakura slowed her pace so she would walk beside Syaoran and hear what he had to say. Syaoran acted as if Sakura wasn't present and just kept talking to Tomoyo. "Now that Kinomoto-san is going to start capturing cards I think she needs to know more about them and about magic in general." He said, still not looking at Sakura. "What I'm trying to say is that I want to train her so she can use her full power."

Sakura looked at him surprised. "You really want to train me?"

Syaoran sighed. He nearly turned his head to face the girl, but stopped at half the way, so it looked as if he was looking at something on the wall of the house they were passing by, which looked stupid since it was just a plain white wall. "Yeah. You have a lot of raw magic power, but right now, you don't really know how to use it." He said, not finding any way to make it look like he hadn't just purposely avoided looking at Sakura. He finally decided to look straight ahead again and hope she hadn't noticed.

Sakura smiled, she had noticed, but she didn't realize the meaning of Syaoran's strange head gesture. Her mind was too focused on his words to pay any attention to his actions, and his words really pleased her. She felt like squealing and jumping up and down because of the good news, but her body wasn't responding right. "I'd really like that." Was her only response.

Tomoyo stared at Syaoran, surprised and confused. She wasn't expecting for Syaoran to say anything like that, though it did look like he was being forced to say it. He wasn't even looking at Sakura and was being too straightforward about it. Her thoughts were interrupted when Kero popped out of Sakura's backpack.

Kero looked at Syaoran with a smirk on his face. "You read my mind there brat. I was going to talk to you exactly about that." He said.

Syaoran ignored him. He kept his eyes on the streets ahead of them and continued to talk. "Since we need a place where we can do magic without worrying about anyone seeing us we can go to my apartment. It's the on the top floor of the Shiratori building."

Sakura's eyes widened, which was a lot considering how heavy her eyelids felt. "Shiratori! That's the most expensive building in all Tomoeda! I didn't know your family had so much money." She said bluntly, but didn't get a response from Syaoran. The boy just kept walking as if she wasn't there, but Tomoyo could tell he was feeling nervous from the stiff way he was walking.

For the next couple of minutes not a single word was spoken.

After a while of walking quietly, Syaoran took an envelope from his pocket. He examined it, thinking if the letter to his family was well written. There were many things to tell and to ask his mother and he didn't want to miss anything. Tomoyo finally broke the silence when she saw the envelope in Syaoran's hands. "Are you sending a letter to your family?" She asked sweetly.

Syaoran snorted. Luckily, unlike with Sakura, he didn't have any difficulties in being cold with Tomoyo. "That's none of your business." He said, putting the letter back in his pocket to hide it from Tomoyo's curious eyes. The girl just frowned and looked the other way.

Another couple of minutes in an uncomfortable silence went by and they finally reached the post office.

"This way, Li-kun." Sakura said, walking to the small concrete ramp that led to the building's glass doors.

Syaoran followed her. "Thanks." He walked past her and entered the building leaving the two girls waiting outside.

Sakura peeked through the glass door while Syaoran waited in a short line. He was now looking at the letter again and frowning like someone that's trying to remember the answer to a history test. "Tomoyo-chan, do you think Li-kun misses his family?" She said, out of the blue.

Tomoyo was caught by surprise. "Why the sudden interest?"

"I was just wondering..." She looked at Syaoran with concerned eyes. "His family sent him alone to get the cards back. It must be hard to live so far away from your family. I'm sure I wouldn't like that."

Tomoyo smiled softly. "You are such a sweet person, Sakura-chan." She shifted her gaze to Syaoran too. "Actually... I think Li-kun misses his family a lot. Even though he tries not to show it." She examined Syaoran for a second. "I guess he's the kind of guy that cares a lot for the people around him but his own pride gets in his way and he ends up being rude to them." She said.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Hoe? You are so observant Tomoyo-chan." Tomoyo giggled.

After some more minutes Syaoran came out of the post office. His face was bright red and he was looking at the floor. "Li-kun, what's wrong?" Tomoyo asked.

She didn't need an answer. Behind the post office counter stood Yukito, waving at them. Beside him a very angered Touya stared at Syaoran. "Good morning, Sakura-chan, Tomoyo-chan. What a coincidence that we meet here isn't it?" Yukito said. Syaoran looked at him nervously. Sakura smiled, now blushing as much as Syaoran.

"Yukito-san, Oniichan! What are you doing here?" Sakura asked, surprised. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"Just got out of there. We're working here now. Part-time Job." Touya said, not taking his eyes off Syaoran. "And what is 'he' doing with 'you'?" He asked, pointing at Syaoran. º_Just because he has to protect her it doesn't mean he has to drag her around everywhere he goes!_º

Syaoran didn't even notice Touya. He couldn't take his eyes off Yukito. His legs were shaking and he could feel his face heat up. "We were just showing Li-kun the way to the post office, niichan!" Sakura said in Syaoran's defense.

Syaoran tried to say something in his defense too, but his mind was too focused on Yukito to make up an answer. "I... I, uh..." His voice was trembling.

Tomoyo was looking from Syaoran to Yukito repeatedly. At first with confused eyes and then, letting out a loud gasp, her face changed to an expression of pure shock, but that went by unnoticed by anyone there.

Syaoran suddenly broke his eye contact with Yukito and turned the other way. "I gotta go!" Was all he said before running away.

"Hoe?" Sakura looked at him, puzzled, as he ran down the street. "Li-kun! Where are you going?" She yelled in vain. Syaoran was either too far away to listen or was just ignoring her.

Tomoyo was still surprised. º_Li-kun likes Yukito-san? I never knew he'd be like that._º She thought as she watched the boy run. Half amused and half disappointed. º_But that means he and Sakura-chan will be rivals in love now._º Sakura looked at Tomoyo confused and Tomoyo giggled seeing her friend's oblivious face. "Poor Li-kun. The world of love is something too confusing for him, I guess."

Sakura kept her puzzled look. "What do you mean, Tomoyo-chan?"

Suddenly, Tomoyo took Sakura's wrist in her hand and started pulling her away from the post office. "Sorry Yukito-san, Touya-san. Sakura-chan and I need to have a very important conversation right now." She said, smiling sweetly to the two young men.

Sakura let herself be dragged by Tomoyo, but not without protesting. "What do you mean, Tomoyo-chan?" Tomoyo ignored her and kept running. "Wait!" She was still being ignored. Realizing her efforts were useless, she waved to the boys as they got more distant. "Bye, Yukito-san! Bye, Oniichan!" She yelled and blushed when Yukito waved back. º_I must look so stupid!_º

Touya and Yukito watched as Sakura was dragged out of their sight. "Why were you so angry at him?" Yukito asked. It was the first time they had seen Syaoran since they had talked about that and Yukito didn't expect Touya to be so mad just from seeing him.

Veins began popping out of Touya's head. "Nothing!" He said. Yukito chuckled, making Touya even angrier. "Stop that!"

"But Touya, this Li-kun never did anything to you." Touya closed his hand real tight to hold his anger. "I think you're just jealous."

Touya ignored what Yukito had said about jealousy. "He hasn't done anything yet. But he will." Yukito looked puzzled.

After seeing that Touya really meant what he said, he sighed in defeat. "Well, if that's what you think..."

They spent 5 uncomfortable minutes in silence until another customer entered the post office making them forget the subject.

* * *

Sakura and Tomoyo were already back at the Penguin Park when Tomoyo finally let go of Sakura's hand. 

Sakura rubbed her wrist that now had a red hand mark forming around it. "What was that all about, Tomoyo-chan?" She asked, annoyed. The whole episode with Yukito had apparently driven all the drowsiness out of her.

"Sakura-chan, didn't you notice?" Tomoyo asked anxiously. She knew Sakura could be quite oblivious when it came to noticing people's feelings sometimes.

"Notice what?" Sakura asked, blinking confused.

Tomoyo waited a few seconds, flavoring the information she was about to let out before it left her mouth. "I think you're not the only person who likes Yukito-san!" The confusion on Sakura's face remained unchanged.

"Hoe?" She looked at Tomoyo incredulously. "But... who..."

"I'm pretty sure Li-kun likes Yukito-san in the same way that you do." Sakura jumped back as if the information had literally hit her.

"What?! You're joking right?" She said, laughing nervously. Tomoyo's firm face told her it was no joke. "That's... I didn't know he..." She looked at Tomoyo again to see if she was still not laughing. "He really... Not that there's anything wrong with it but... I just didn't imagine that... Are you sure about that?"

Tomoyo shook her head. "Not absolutely sure but... When we were at the post office Li-kun couldn't keep his eyes off of him. He was so nervous. He was blushing and walking in a very weird way. And he got all mixed up with the words. Not to mention that he didn't even react to Touya-kun insulting him." Sakura watched astonished as Tomoyo counted Syaoran's weird behaviors on her fingers. "Excluding the part about not getting mad at Touya that's pretty much the way you act around Yukito-san." She said to close her argumentation. Sakura thought for a while about her words and, realizing they were true, she fell on her knees.

"You're right." She said, gloomy. "That's so awkward."

Tomoyo smiled, helping Sakura get back on her feet. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'm sure you won't loose to him. You're years ahead of him when it comes to knowing Yukito-san." Sakura sweat dropped.

"Yukito-san's not a prize Tomoyo-chan." She said frowning.

Tomoyo nodded in agreement. º_But still... I wouldn't want to see you with a broken heart Sakura-chan._º "You should talk to Li-kun about it. I think it would be good for both of you."

Sakura nodded. "You're right! I can't let that become a problem." She said with determination.

"That's the spirit! Maybe you can even visit him later today. He did say he wanted to train you at his place right?" Sakura hesitated a bit at that.

"I... Don't you think that's kind of rude, Tomoyo-chan?" She asked.

Tomoyo shook her head. "He said he wanted to train you. I can't think of a better time to go there but today." She said.

Sakura nodded slowly. "If you say so... I guess we can go today."

Tomoyo shook her head. "Not we. I thought he invited just you." Sakura facefaulted.

She looked at Tomoyo pleadingly. "But Tomoyo-chan, I can't face him on my own after hearing this."

Tomoyo thought for a while. "Ok, I'll go with you just this time." Sakura jumped with glee and hugged her friend.

"Thank you, Tomoyo-chan." Tomoyo hugged her back.

They let go of each other. "You're welcome, but it's just this time ok? I don't think Li-kun would want too many guests in his house." She said.

Sakura nodded. "Ok." She took her backpack from her back and opened it. "Kero-chan, will you come with me too?"

Kero flew out of the bag. "Of course! I'm helping with your training too. It's my responsibility that you are fit to get all the cards back after all!" He said stuffing his chest and pointing at himself.

Sakura hugged Kero tightly, making all the air escape from his bloated lungs. "Thank you!"

Kero's face began turning purple. "Sa... Sakura. Can't breathe."

Sakura released him in an instant. "I'm sorry, Kero-chan. Are you Ok?" Kero coughed, trying to breathe again while Sakura tried to help him by giving soft pats on his back. Tomoyo giggled amused with the scene before her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** _It's over! Now, just wait one more week and I might just post another chapter. In the meantime you can entertain yourself with one of the following hip and/or cool suggestions:_

-Review my story.

-Play a game of chess and review my story.

-Dance, sing and/or write a song after playing chess and reviewing my story.


	7. Sakura and the Thunder, Part 2

Wassup!!!

**A/N: **_I'll be brief here. Thanks for your reviews and curse you if you bothered to read a whole chapter but couldn't go a bit more out of your way to tell me what you thought of it._

**Disclaimer: I hereby declare that, for all purposes, Card Captor Sakura is, has always been and may remain forever property of CLAMP.**

_Some stuff you should read:_

"Character talking"

º_Character thinking_º

(Me talking)

And one more:

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 3:** _Sakura and the Thunder_

**Part 2:**_ Mana and the Sixth Sense_

Syaoran was lying on his bed, casually flipping the pages of a manga. He wasn't really sure what the manga was about. In fact he hadn't read a word of the manga properly. His mind was still at the events that took place in the post office. º_I was so worried about Kinomoto these past few days that I completely forgot about him. I feel just as weird when I'm around him, but it's different. With him, at least I still feel as if I'm in control of myself, even though I get all clumsy and I can't think straight it still feels like it's me that's doing those things._º He sighed.

After closing the manga he rested his head on the pillow and looked at the ceiling. He had become quite familiar with it in the days he'd spent there. º_I knew this trip to Japan would have some surprises but... I never knew it would affect me so much. Back in Hong Kong I was so sure of who I was. Now I just keep surprising myself._º

He looked at the door that led to the hallway. "I wonder if she'll come." He said to himself.

As if on cue, the door to his room opened, letting Sakura and Tomoyo in, followed by Wei. "Kinomoto-san and her friend are here Syaoran-sama. I believe you told me you were going to invite her, so I thought it would be ok to let her in."

Syaoran jumped in surprise as the girls waved their hands and greeted him. They weren't wearing their school uniforms anymore, but Sakura still had her backpack. º_Probably for Kerberos._º He thought.

He immediately stood up and walked towards them, angered. "Don't you know it's rude to invade someone's privacy like that?" He shouted facing Tomoyo. Sakura and Tomoyo looked at Wei as if asking for support.

Wei sighed. "I'm sorry Syaoran-sama. I told them they could come in. It's not their fault."

Syaoran looked at Wei and all the anger vanished from his face, giving place to a slight embarrassment. Though, in theory, Wei worked for him, he didn't have the courage to actually get mad at him or even tell him he did something wrong. "I... It's ok Wei. I was kind of expecting them anyway... I mean, at least Kinomoto-san." He said, glaring at Tomoyo.

Tomoyo faked a sad face. "Oh, you wouldn't be so cruel as to throw me on those lonely streets would you?" She said making a puppy face.

Syaoran sighed. "Fine. You can stay. But don't get in the way of the training." Tomoyo grinned. Syaoran looked at Sakura's backpack. "Why are you hiding, Kerberos? There's nobody in this room who doesn't know about you." Kero immediately flew out of Sakura's backpack.

He looked at Wei. "I guessed so. As a member of the Li clan you must have a large knowledge of magic, right?" Wei nodded with his ever-so-wise smile on. "It's a pleasure to meet you. You already know my name, so it's pointless to introduce myself."

Wei nodded again. "I'm Wei Li. It's an honor to meet the guardian of the cards. Your powers are impressive from what I've heard." Kero smirked. He loved being complimented.

Syaoran walked past them ignoring the whole scene. "Well, let's go training then. We don't have all day." Syaoran said, walking out of the room. The others followed him through a hallway that led to a gigantic living room. "Wei-san, in about fifteen minutes can you bring us some tea on the roof?" He said as he opened a door leading to a small, narrow staircase going up.

"Yes, Syaoran-sama." Wei left towards the kitchen.

Syaoran started climbing up the stairs with Sakura, Tomoyo and Kero right behind him. "So, Li-kun, what kind of training will it be?" Sakura asked cheerfully.

Syaoran opened a door at the end of the stairs letting the faint light of the setting sun in. "Just the basics. I'll teach you about the main magical elements." He said, exiting to the roof and holding the door for the others to pass.

"You will be wasting your time. I already taught her all about that." Kero said, smirking as he flew past Syaoran.

Sakura stopped as she walked past him to speak. "That's right. Kero-chan told me a lot of things about magic already." She said. She felt a little awkward to see that Syaoran wasn't looking anywhere near her and looked like he hadn't even heard what she said.

But even though he didn't seem to have listened he suddenly spoke out of the blue. "What element should be used to fight back against earth?"

Sakura answered almost immediately. "Wind! And it works the other way around too. Earth can be very effective when attacking Wind. It's just a matter of who's attacking and who's defending. Right?" Syaoran nodded approvingly.

"Right." He walked towards a small plastic table with four plastic chairs around it and a big parasol going through a hole in the middle. He sat down on a chair and spoke again. "Thunder derives from which element?" He asked.

Sakura thought for a while and shook her head. "I don't know."

Syaoran sighed. "The answer would be wind." He said. He then signaled for them to sit down. "Sit down. Today I'll just talk about theory."

Tomoyo looked around the roof as she walked towards the chairs. It had a modest flower garden the covered it's perimeter and some other tables, besides that, it was just a big empty space. "Wow! It's huge." She said in awe.

"I've been using it to train since I've got here." Syaoran said.

Sakura looked around the place admired. "You must really train a lot. You were amazing that time with The Fly."

Syaoran barely nodded his head at her comment, not looking at her. "But we won't be needing all this room today."

Kero sat down on the table. "You've got a good training spot here brat." He said, earning himself a punch in the back of the head.

"Don't call me that!" Syaoran said. "Let's begin, before I punch that thing again." Kero was flying around a little confused because of the punch.

"Hurray! Let's begin."

And so, for the next ten minutes, Syaoran explained to Sakura all the basics about the four elements. Not once looking at her in the eye though. Kero also helped him along his explanation. Sakura had her eyes all on them, paying attention to every word they said.

"Here in our planet, magical energy is provided by the Sun and the Moon. All magical energy there is on Earth came from either one or the other, this energy is called mana. The mana itself is like the fuel of life. Without the Sun and the Moon to provide it, we would all just drop dead." Syaoran said. "When someone casts a magic spell or something of the sort, he is drawing mana from one of these sources and channeling it to his own benefit. What determines how powerful a magician can be is merely how much mana he can draw from them and how well he can use it. Some get there through a lot of meditation and training, and some are just born compatible with magic, like you." He said pointing to Sakura. "Those that are born that way tend to have amazing powers, but in most cases are unaware of them."

"Yeah, I, as a magical being, take all my powers from the Sun, so I'm much more powerful during the day. But during the night most of my powers weaken." Kero complemented. "Since the brat is from the Li clan, I guess he's much more trained to do Moon magic." Kero said, and it didn't take long for Syaoran's fist to land on the back of his head.

"Quit calling me a brat!" He said as the guardian bounced on the table.

Sakura seemed to be fascinated with all that information. "So... The Clow Cards... Are they Sun or Moon magic?"

"Both." Syaoran said. "Half of the cards take their powers from the Moon and the other half from the Sun. Clow learned both kinds of magic cause his mother and father practiced Moon and Sun magic respectively. That's one of the things that made him such an exceptional magician."

Sakura took The Clow from her backpack and took her cards out. "But Kero-chan said that they were looking for a source of mana. Don't they get their mana from the Sun and the Moon?"

Kero landed on Sakura's shoulder. "They do. But Clow-san provided his own powers to the cards so they would work with him. He acted as bridge that increased the flow of mana between the cards and their natural sources. Now that the cards are awake and back to getting their own mana by themselves, most of them are not getting enough to sustain their own powers." Sakura nodded slowly, looking at the cards. "Once you capture them, they take you as their new master and source of mana. That's why it's important that you learn how to control your powers, so that you can provide enough powers for them and for yourself."

"You mean they're getting their powers from me right now?" Sakura looked at the cards on her hands. The cards felt warm to her touch.

Kero nodded. "So am I. We were made out of magical mana, if we don't have a large source of mana we just cease to exist."

Sakura felt a cold feeling in her stomach. "You mean... But what if my powers are not enough? Could I... could I d-die?"

Kero shook his head and friendly patted Sakura's shoulder. "Don't worry, that would only happen if we sucked all the mana out of you. You should have enough powers for all of us. Clow made the seal so that only one with enough powers to sustain me and the cards could break it." He said pointing to the book. "The only reason I'm not able to summon my full power yet is because it works together with the sun cards and you haven't gotten any of them yet. Besides, you're still not used to your own powers. With a little training I think you're going to have more than enough mana for us all.'"

Syaoran took the book in his hands and examined it for the first time. "The cards should have a symbol on the back indicating if they're Moon cards or Sun cards." He said as he looked at the symbol on the back of the book.

Sakura looked at the back of her cards. All three of them had a symbol similar to the one on the back of the book. "It's a magic circle with a crescent moon. So they're all Moon cards?"

"That's right." Kero said. "You must be very suited for Moon magic cause they seem to be healthy." He said.

Sakura smiled feeling a great relief inside. "That's good." She said looking at the cards. She felt hypnotized by them, as if they had suddenly become objects of an uncanny beauty.

Her daze was broken when she felt a creeping chill run down her spine. She dropped the cards and stared blankly into the horizon. She felt as if all her blood had been replaced with really cold water and was running at double speed inside her. "Sakura-chan, are you alright?" Tomoyo asked when she noticed Sakura's paralyzed look.

Sakura nodded slowly when she heard Tomoyo's question. She finally shifted her gaze from the horizon to Syaoran. The boy had been looking at Sakura with worried eyes but looked away the second their eyes met. "Li-kun, what does it mean when I feel something that isn't even touching me? Like a g-ghost going through me." She asked, fearing the possibility of a ghost showing up. With or without magic, ghosts had always been her biggest fear. "It's like I can see it, hear it, even smell it, but not clearly enough to be sure it's real."

Syaoran looked at the table so he was facing Sakura without looking at her. "I think you mean magical auras. That feeling you have is what we call the sixth sense, the sense that feels the mana around us. Usually, you can only feel that when there's a magical aura around manifesting itself in some way." He closed his eyes in an attempt to feel any auras around him. After two seconds he snapped them open. "It's close... Get down!" He shouted, suddenly dropping himself on the floor. They all automatically jumped to the floor just in time to avoid a bolt of lightning that passed horizontally through the roof, right above their heads.

Tomoyo looked up, but the bolt had vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "W-what was that?"

Kero flew higher to look around. "It was the Thunder card, I'm sure of it. It's very powerful so keep an eye for it. If it hits you, the shock can be deadly."

Syaoran summoned his sword. "None of the three cards Kinomoto-san has will be of much use against it. They're all Moon Cards." He said.

"Release!" Sakura summoned her staff and ran to Syaoran's side. "But didn't you say that thunder derives from the wind? I though that meant Windy would be much stronger than Thunder." Syaoran didn't seem to be paying any attention. He was busy looking around for any traces of the card's next move.

Kero flew to their side too. "It is stronger than Thunder, but they are from the same basic element and both cards are Moon cards, so they can barely harm each other." Kero said. "What we need is a Sun card. A powerful one. Opposing elements are the way to go when attacking, remember?"

"It's coming again!" Syaoran said, raising his sword defensively.

All Sakura could see was a bright white light that was apparently moving towards her very fast. She closed her eyes and raised her hands to protect her self from the imminent shock even though she knew she would never be fast enough to raise her hands before the light hit her. It was ridiculously fast.

She held her breath prepared to be hit, but the shock never came. When she opened her eyes again, what she saw was Syaoran's back. He was holding his sword in front of her with both hands, apparently making an incredible effort to hold it, as if the sword was trying to escape from his grasp. The sword itself had several small bolts of lightning circling it in random, violent movements and a silver glow surrounding it. The image reminded her of the dream where she had first seem Syaoran.

"I've got it trapped in my sword. Try locking it! Quick!" Syaoran said between shut teeth. The others could tell by his voice that he was in considerable pain.

Sakura looked at Syaoran with a scared face. "I..." She slowly raised her staff on her shaking hands.

"Hurry up, Sakura! He won't be able to hold it much longer." Kero shouted.

Sakura pointed the staff at Syaoran's sword. "Ok!" She frowned as hard as she could to try and give herself courage. "Return to the shape you are meant to be in. Thunder!" The Thunder immediately left Syaoran's sword and the boy fell on his knees at the same moment, using the sword as a cane to stop his body from falling on the floor. Sakura smiled when a white rectangle of pure energy formed itself on the tip of the staff. "It worked!" But her expression quickly changed. She felt a wave of electricity run through her staff and instinctively let go of it, interrupting the sealing magic.

"No!" Kero shouted as the card vanished in the sky. "It got away."

Syaoran looked at the sky breathing heavily. "I can't feel its aura anymore. Damn it!" He let go of his sword and sat on his butt, leaning backwards and using his hands for support. "We lost it! And we were so close..." He cursed under his breath, scaring Sakura a bit with foul language.

Kero looked around to make sure the card was gone. "The only reason we could capture The Fly and The Storm so easily is because they are weak cards." He said. "Thunder is one of the strongest cards there are in the deck. That's probably why it was so aggressive too. The stronger the card the more desperately it needs mana."

Tomoyo was also looking around, scared of being attacked again. "Are you sure it's gone?" She asked.

Syaoran nodded. "Yes. I'm sure."

Wei came out of the apartment holding a tray with four cups of tea. He was slightly surprised to see Syaoran in such an exhausted state, but he accounted that to the training he knew they were going trough. º_Kinomoto-san must be really powerful to leave Li-san like this._º He though, looking at Sakura who was now dropping her body on a plastic chair, staff still in hands. "Syaoran-sama, the tea is ready." He said, walking towards them. "Having a good training?" He asked Syaoran politely as the boy picked his cup.

Syaoran sighed. "Not quite." He looked at his tea with disgust. "I think I'm gonna need something more refreshing." He put the tea back in the tray and walked towards the door. "I'm gonna make me some lemonade." He said as he disappeared down the stairs.

* * *

Later, in Syaoran's living room. 

Sakura, Tomoyo and Syaoran were sitting on the couches that filled only a tiny portion of the huge room, each of them holding a glass of lemonade in their hands. On the coffee table, in the middle of the couches, Kero drank lemonade through a straw that came out his glass.

"So, what you're saying is that you can't feel an aura unless it's actually using its mana for something." Tomoyo said, looking at Syaoran.

The boy shook his head. "No, it's not like that. I think the easiest way to understand it is to think of your hearing. You can hear a very loud noise even if it's very far away, but as you get closer to the source of the sound, you can hear it better even if it's not so loud." He explained. "The same goes for the sixth sense. You can feel a strong aura even if it's far away. The closer it is to you, the easier it will be to sense it, even if it's weaker. Of course, when you are actually using your magic, your aura gets much stronger, so it's easier to find you."

"But you're right beside me and I can't feel your aura." Sakura remarked.

"That's because you're not used to it and my aura is very relaxed now. Even I would have to concentrate to feel the auras of everybody here." He said. "That's our problem. To sense a Clow Card that's not doing anything would be almost impossible. Very few people have such a strong sixth sense. If only we could find someone with those kinds of skills..."

Kero took a giant sip through his straw, emptying his glass. "That would be great, but I've never met anyone who could sense a sleeping aura that well other than Clow himself. And I met lots of magicians back when I was with him." He said.

"So, I guess we'll just have to wait until the cards show themselves to go after them." Sakura said.

Kero nodded. "But that may be a problem. If we take too long to get to them, they might use up all their energy and die... Or maybe even start attacking random people to absorb their vital energy. You know, go berserk. The Thunder is already doing that apparently."

Sakura swallowed a big lump of saliva. "But what can we do?"

Syaoran crudely put his glass back at the table making a loud noise that called the attention from everyone in the room. He appeared to be very upset at something. "That's the reason I wanted to train you in the first place!" He said. "Someone who has such powers from birth... I though that you might be able to feel sleeping auras." He sighed. He was about to say that he had wasted his time, but the words got stuck in his throat. "Too bad you can't, you could only feel The Thunder when it was about to attack us." Was all he managed to say.

"She did sense it before us." Kero said, to defend Sakura. "That means she is already the best among us to search for the cards. Who knows? She might improve as she gets used to magic." He insisted, but Syaoran had set a gloomy mood in the room and there was nothing he could do to break it.

Sakura also tried to change the uncomfortable situation. She smiled at Syaoran, even though he still wasn't looking at her to see it. "At least I learned a lot about magic today, right?" She said, but got no response from Syaoran again.

After they had all finished their lemonades Syaoran stood up and collected all the glasses taking them to the kitchen, without saying a word. When he returned, they were all standing beside the front door.

"I guess we better leave, Li-kun." Tomoyo said. "It's getting dark outside and you probably want to be by yourself."

Syaoran looked at her, slightly surprised. "If you say so..." He opened the door and made way for the three to pass.

"Bye, Li-kun." Tomoyo said.

Kero waved his paw in one short motion. "See ya."

Syaoran waited for Sakura to pass, but the girl wasn't moving. He saw through the corner of his eyes as she made a bowing motion. "Thank you for teaching me all those things. I really appreciate it." She said before joining the other two at the other side of the door. She was disappointed to see that Syaoran didn't show any signs of recognition to her thanking. "Bye, Li-kun!" She tried, still sporting her smile, but still getting no reaction from the boy.

Syaoran merely waved his hand in a lazy motion, like Kero, and closed the door. He could finally relax now that Sakura wasn't around anymore.

º_I can't keep ignoring her like this. It looks like every second she's around I have to stop myself from saying something stupid. This time I didn't even look at her and I still felt like that.º_ He walked to the couch and laid down on it. º_And when the card attacked her... I lost the chance of capturing it myself just to protect her. If she was the one hit by The Thunder I would probably be able to capture the card before it could hurt her much. It would be easy._º He thought, picturing that possibility in his head. When the image of Sakura being hit on the chest by the strong lightning appeared in his mind he felt his heart sink. Slowly, a big emptiness crept inside him. º_This feeling... it's just like the one on the Penguin Park when she was falling down._º

He looked at his hands. º_Don't I trust myself to do that? Am I afraid that I'm gonna screw things up and jeopardize her life?_º He pulled his torso up so that he would be sitting down. "No..." He said under his breath. "I just didn't have the guts to take that kind of risk."

His thoughts were interrupted by a phone ring.

"I'll get it." Wei said, entering the room and picking up the phone from it's receiver that hung from the wall. "Hello." He waited for a few seconds as the other side of the line spoke. "Alright, I'll get him for you. Just a moment." He covered the speaker with his hand. "It's for you Syaoran-sama. Says it's an urgent matter."

"Huh?" Syaoran took the phone from Wei's hands.

"Hello." A moment in silence took place as the voice on the other side spoke again. When the voice finished its short speech, Syaoran's eyes suddenly widened. "What?! Who is this?"

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**A/N: **_There you go. Another chapter. Right on schedule. Now it's your turn. You know what to do. If you don't I mean you have to review. That's right. Click the little button down there and write a few words. Bye. See you next chapter._


	8. Sakura and the Thunder, Part 3

E aí? Beleza? (Brazilian greeting lessons for beginners.)

**A/N:** _Let us start with the usual thanks for all your reviews. I recall someone saying that I really cared a lot for them. Well, that's true. You see, I post my fanfics in here with the intent of having people read them and hearing what they think of the stories. Having one million readers is not half as pleasant as hearing a concrete opinion from one of them._

_I'll take the chance to say that about reviews too. I don't really care for the number on the review counter other than the fact that it might attract more readers. Actually it's pretty disappointing to see you have a new review and it's just someone asking you to update or saying simply: "cute!!1". I know you must have meant well when you decided to review my story, but if you went as far as writing a review, please go ahead and spend a couple more words to say what you actually thought about the story. Say something you particularly liked or disliked about it, or point out some plot-hole or grammatical error you noticed. That's what reviews are really about._

_There. Sorry for all that preaching, but I find important to give my opinion in this matter. I hope you appreciated it, but feel free to disagree and keep asking me to update. I'm just telling you what I'd like to read in a review. You're still the one writing it and the one who decides what's in it. _

**And now for something completely different. A disclaimer: Now, suppose that there was this little girl who would walk up to me and say something in the manner of: "I own Card Captor Sakura." Not only would I proceed to badly harm her sorry arse, but I would also prompt CLAMP to do the exact same, but followed by a merciless lawsuit on her sorry behind to make sure not an ounce of happiness would be left in that little criminal mind of hers. That sort of disposition and commitment to the law is, I believe, proof enough that I am absolutely against random people who try to claim ownership of CCS, therefore, I could never be one of them. It's like asking someone of the Ku Kux Klan to... Maybe I should stop before somebody attempts to lawsuit 'my' sorry behind.**

_You know the drill:_

"Character talking"

º_Character thinking_º

(Me talking)

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 3:** _Sakura and the Thunder_

**Part 3:**_ Eye to Eye_

Sakura, Tomoyo and Kero were already on the way out of Syaoran's building. Kero was now hiding in Sakura's backpack again.

"Lobby." The electronic voice on the elevator said as the metallic door slid to the side making way for the trio to exit.

"You'll have to talk to Li-kun about Yukito-san the next time Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said as they walked through the lobby.

Sakura sighed. "I wanted to talk to him, but he was acting so strange." She said. "He never answered me when I spoke, and I think he was avoiding looking at me." She adjusted the watch around her wrist, not because it felt uncomfortable against her skin, but it made her feel less uncomfortable with the thoughts going through her head. "Do you think he's mad at me for something?"

Tomoyo shook her head. "No way. He's just a shy person. He did protect you from that card didn't he? It would have hit you directly if it weren't for him." Sakura nodded meekly, a smile forming back at her face. "Didn't you say you feel safe around him?"

Sakura nodded again. "Yeah... but that was in my dream. I didn't get that kind of feeling from the real Li-kun." She looked at Tomoyo. "Actually, now that I think about it, the Li-kun in my dream and the Li-kun in real life seemed like totally different persons." She said, looking up, her index finger pressed against her lower lip instinctively to show that she was trying to remember something.

They reached the exterior of the building, but there was still a considerably long walk up to the front gates.

"You mean you remember a lot of things about the Li-kun in your dream?" Tomoyo asked with a hint of anxiety in her voice.

Sakura shook her head. "Not really, but now that I felt his magical aura, I remembered feeling something similar in the dream." She said. "But... Even his aura felt completely different back then."

At this point Kero flew out of the backpack. "Are you sure, Sakura?" He was immediately pushed back by Sakura's hand.

"You can't come out here Kero-chan!" Sakura said, desperately closing the backpack and looking around to see if there was anybody else around. Luckily the only person near them was the gatekeeper who seemed to be distracted with the interphone. She sighed in relief and whispered to the backpack. "I'm sure. His aura was completely different in the dream. Does that mean something?"

Kero's muffled voice came from inside the backpack, but it was overcast by another voice. "Hey! Wait!" Sakura and Tomoyo turned their heads to the source of the other voice.

Syaoran was running out of the elevator and towards them, clad in green clothing that Sakura thought was some sort of ritual kimono due to all the magical symbols drawn around it and its ridiculously big sleeves.

"Li-kun!" Sakura exclaimed, watching as the boy got closer. º_Tomoyo-chan was right. He really has hero clothes._º She thought to herself, sweat dropping.

"What happened?" Tomoyo asked when the boy finally reached them. º_It's prettier than I had imagined._º She thought, examining the boy's vest.

"The Thunder! I know where it is!" He said with a determined face on. "We have to get it, quick!"

Sakura and Tomoyo stared at him surprised. "Did you feel its aura?" Sakura asked.

"No time to explain! We've got to get to it as soon as possible." He ran towards the gate. "Open up! Now!" He cried to the gatekeeper. The man complied, but not without giving Syaoran an exasperated look.

Sakura and Tomoyo followed him. Tomoyo took her time to bow apologetically to the insulted man. "I'm sorry. It's an emergency." She said and quickly ran after the other two.

They all ran a few blocks, following Syaoran's lead. "Where are we going?" Sakura asked.

"To the Penguin Park again." Syaoran said.

"There's nobody around here, it's safe to use magic." Sakura stopped running and took her magical key out. "Release!"

"What are you doing?!" Syaoran said, looking around to make sure there was really nobody around.

Sakura opened her backpack. "You can come out Kero-chan." She said, taking a card from inside as well.

Kero made a few loops around the air. "Ah... I can't stand that backpack! Especially with you running around like this." He said, breathing the fresh air as hard as he could.

Sakura ignored Kero's little celebration and threw the card up in the air. "Fly!" She said, pressing her staff against the card. A pair of wings grew out of her staff. "There. We can go much faster like this." She climbed on the staff.

Syaoran looked like he was only waiting for Sakura to finish whatever she was doing. Tomoyo looked at him with curious eyes. "Aren't you going, Li-kun?" She asked the boy.

Syaoran cringed. "Me?"

Tomoyo giggled. "Of course. There's only room for two on that thing. And I am certainly not gonna be of any help to get the card." She said, matter-of-factly.

Syaoran nodded slowly. "Yeah... I guess you right." He hesitatingly climbed on the staff, sitting behind Sakura. If he had looked at her face he would have seen that she was looking at him with very confused eyes, but he was still avoiding her gaze.

Sakura waited till she was sure Syaoran was secure in the staff and pushed them up with both her feet. Kero followed them in the air and Tomoyo waved her hand in a farewell motion. "Good Luck! I'll meet you there!" She said before turning back and running for the Penguin Park.

Sakura was surprised to see that even though there was another passenger on the staff, it felt just as light. She turned her head to take a peek at Syaoran. He was looking away from her as usual. º_I can feel Li-kun's aura now. Why is it showing all of a sudden?_º She though as she guided the staff through the air. º_It feels just like it did in my dream this time._º

"We're here!" Kero said as they reached the big playground at the center of Penguin Park. "Let's go!"

Sakura steered the staff down. "Can you see the card Kero-chan?" She asked as her feet touched the floor.

Kero shook his head. "Not yet."

Syaoran climbed out of the staff. "Just stay alert. When it notices us it will probably try to attack again." He said, sitting on a bench.

Sakura took her staff up in the air again so she could get a better view of the park. "Do you think it got away?" She asked.

Syaoran didn't answer. He had his eyes closed and apparently was concentrating on something.

Kero flew up to Sakura's side. "Sakura, let's go down to the ground. The brat is already looking for the card. If it's still around you should not expose yourself by flying around like this." He said. "It must be particularly mad at you for trying to lock it before."

Sakura nodded, but before she had time to respond to Kero's words she heard a loud cracking noise behind her.

"Look out!" She heard Syaoran shout.

She didn't have to think much to know that the card was probably right behind her, ready to attack. "Run away, Sakura!" Kero shouted, flying down. Sakura immediately flew down too, but in a different direction.

Her whole body had suddenly gone into a much more animal state, letting instincts take over and all of her reflexes and senses were amplified. That was something common for anybody in a perilous situation, but Sakura was now experiencing for the first time an amplification of her sixth sense. She could clearly feel the card's aura behind her. Syaoran's aura below her felt unquiet, but it wasn't like her dream anymore. It was colder somehow. Kero's aura was the smallest of them, but that was because she didn't have sun cards yet.

Of course, she didn't have time to ponder on all that. Those thoughts flashed through her mind and she was immediately back to the running away problem. As she dived to the floor, she heard the cracking sound behind her get louder. º_It's still after me!_º She thought.

Half the way through the descent, she could even see the light that came from the card at her back. "Hoe!" She shouted as she felt the aura of the card get closer, not daring to look back. When she was about to hit the ground she pulled the staff up and flew in a parallel line to the surface, circling the large perimeter of the park.

Syaoran watched as the bolt of lightning chased Sakura. He knew that if she kept flying at that speed it would only be a matter of time before she was caught. º_There's no way I can get them at that speed, and Kerberos is still powerless._º

"Do something brat! The card will hit Sakura at this rate." Kero said, poking Syaoran on the head.

In a split second Syaoran made up his mind. º_I didn't want to show it to her but... I've got no choice now._º He shoved his hand into his pocket, taking out a card with the symbol of the Sun on its back. He summoned his sword and pressed the tip of it against the card, careful not to let the sword go through it. "Shadow!" He shouted. "Get The Thunder!"

A dark cloak materialized itself in front of Syaoran. It would be a regular piece of clothing if it weren't for the fact that it was standing up on its own, and where there was supposed to be a person there was nothing but darkness. It had barely finished materializing before it went gliding after the card that chased Sakura. Its speed was amazing for a humanoid being. It looked as if it stood on a conveyor belt at full speed.

"It's going to make it!" Kero said, but just as The Shadow was about to reach the bolt of lightning, a different glow emerged from Sakura's chaser. It was changing its shape to that of a giant hound, with waves of electricity running around it as if they were its fur.

Sakura wasn't paying any attention to the people around her anymore. Her only concern was running away until she or somebody else thought of a way to stop the card, but the aura of a new Clow Card nearby managed to distract her. She was still trying to understand what that new aura meant when suddenly The Thunder's aura got immensely stronger, and faster.

It didn't take half a second for her to feel the card collide with her, taking her down from her staff. "Ouch!" She cried as she hit the ground and rolled around many times until friction did its job. Luckily, she'd fallen on the grass. However, the small bruises she had made on the fall were nothing compared to what came next.

Syaoran watched as The Thunder's aura overwhelmed The Shadow, forcing it back to its card form. "No!" He shouted, running towards them. He felt absolutely helpless as the card hit Sakura and she rolled on the floor. At first it seemed like she was going to get up. She was already halfway through that process when she fell back on the grass.

"Kyah!" She shouted as she hit the ground again. Waves of electricity were now running up and down her body causing her to have what looked like seizures. Her scream was much more desperate and agonizing than the ones she'd given as she ran and fell.

"The card's inside her!" Kero shouted. "We have to get it out!" Syaoran finally reached her, Kero right beside him. She wasn't screaming anymore. Instead she was clenching her teeth as hard as she could and trying to fight the seizures.

Sakura debated against the invisible force attacking her. º_This hurts too much!_º She felt completely powerless in fighting against it. The only thing that caught her attention was Syaoran kneeling beside her. She actually forgot the pain for a second when she saw that he was intentionally looking at her directly in the eye for the first time since the day of The Storm incident. He had a serious, almost angry, expression.

"Kinomoto-san, hold on for a while!" He said, maintaining the eye contact.

By now, Syaoran knew he had no control over himself anymore. His actions were all automatic, and they were all directed at one goal: Protect Sakura. Without hesitating he put his hand on her shoulder and chanted a spell in Chinese.

Sakura heard Syaoran whispering something, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. She assumed he was trying to help her. As the words kept leaving Syaoran's mouth, Sakura felt the pain decrease slowly, and she was gradually gaining control over her muscles again. º_He's doing it! He's weakening the card._º She thought. Syaoran seemed to be fighting hard against it, cause his eyebrows pressed down harder and harder each second, and his voice was apparently getting weaker.

"Just a little more!" Kero shouted, watching the scene anxiously.

It didn't take more than ten seconds of spell chanting for all the pain Sakura was feeling to cease. Syaoran stopped chanting his spell, his muscles all tensed up and his body nearly paralyzed. "It's up to you now." He said to Sakura.

Sakura looked at him, confused. She pushed her torso up using her elbow as a support. "What's up to..." She didn't have to finish her question. Syaoran let out a loud yelp of pain and had to use both his hands not to fall face first on the grass, electric waves running all around him now. Sakura gasped. º_He took the card to himself!_º "Li-kun! Why did you do that?!" She shouted, afraid to touch the electrified body. Tears of fear started forming in her eyes. Syaoran looked out of his mind from the pain and that made her panic. "Li-kun!"

Syaoran didn't answer, letting out only a few unintelligible sounds that reflected his pain. Kero did instead. "Sakura! You have to lock the card now! The brat's fighting against it!"

"Hoe?" Sakura could feel the card's energy weakening. "You're right!" She took her staff that laid in the grass beside her. º_I can't let go of it this time!_º She tightened her grip on the staff as hard as she could and pointed it to Syaoran. "Return to the shape you are meant to be in! Clow Card!"

Just like on Syaoran's roof, the card immediately left Syaoran's body and an energy rectangle appeared at the tip of Sakura's staff. Sakura felt a stinging pain on her hands as The Thunder entered the card shape, but she managed to hold on to the very last second this time. The sealed card harmlessly fell on the grass.

Syaoran fell on his face, letting out a loud sigh as he did so. Sakura crouched next to him and turned him around so he would be facing up. "You did it." He said, his lips slightly curving up in something some would interpret as a smile.

He looked at Sakura's concerned face and couldn't help but feel satisfied, not only that she was safe now, but that he was halfway through solving the problem that had been haunting him for days, thanks to that experience.

Slowly the voices around him started to get more distant and he felt his senses fading away.

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere near the playground. 

Touya talked to a mysterious figure in the shadows. "Thank you for your help." Touya said.

The figured laughed friendly. "I just gave you the information you needed on Clow. You're the one who found the card." It said, turning it's back to Touya. "I'm leaving now. My isolation spell will wear off soon and people will start crowding this place."

"Wait!" Touya said. "I still have one question that's been bugging me."

"Go ahead."

"Why didn't you just stop the brat from coming to Japan?" He said.

"That's a good question." The figure answered. "There were many reasons. Some of which I can't reveal now. But one of the main reasons was that to stop him would be a tremendous lack of respect. He has as much right to be here as any of us. Don't you think so?" It said. "Besides, as I said before, she needs someone to protect her for now."

Touya snorted. He walked away from the figure ignoring its cheerful chuckles.

* * *

Later, at Syaoran's apartment. 

Syaoran opened his eyes. His head felt heavy, it wasn't lying on the grass anymore, it was lying on a pillow instead. His pillow.

"Ugh. I'm home? What happened?" He looked around his room.

The digital alarm clock marked 1:00 am. Sitting right beside it were a piece of paper with something written on it and two Clow Cards. He took the paper and read it:

_'Thanks for saving me! You can keep The Thunder for yourself since it was only thanks to you that I locked it. And The Shadow was already yours so I'm leaving it with you. When did you get it, by the way? Thanks for all the stuff you taught me too, I'm looking forward for the next lessons._

_P. S. Don't bring any lunch to school on Monday, I'm making your lunch to thank you for saving me._

_Sakura'_

Syaoran sighed when he finished reading the note. Reading it made him recall the conclusions that he had reached that night about Sakura.

º_I did have the guts to let her be shocked while I captured the card myself. Something else stopped me from doing that. And it wasn't her aura._º He put the note back on the cupboard.

"Though I care for her just as much as I care for anybody else, whenever she's in danger I feel like panicking. That can't be normal." He said to himself. "And I guess that as long as those cards are on the loose, she'll never be out of danger." He laid back his head and closed his eyes, and if it weren't for the fact that his body was absolutely exhausted, his thoughts would have kept him awake all night long.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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**A/N: **_OK, I wrote the chapter. Now, you write the review. Simple as that!_

_See ya in the next chapter._


	9. Sakura, the Sword and the Shield, Part 1

We meet again.

**A/N: **_Thanks for all your lovely reviewing. And for you who read the past chapters and hasn't reviewed yet, you should be ashamed of yourself. Yeah, I'm talking to you! Don't act as if you don't know what I'm talking about. So be a good boy and review, or else Santa might forget your address on the next Christmas._

_Oh, and Michi-Miki, thanks for understanding my request. Can't say the same about some others though. **¬ ¬**_

**Stupid Disclaimer:** What is Card Captor Sakura? Do I own Card Captor Sakura? And what about you?

**The plot thickens:**_ (I'll be writing one of these in every chapter from now on cause the plot is in fact thickening and as the story grows a reminder of what has happened so far becomes important.) All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learned to maipulate the mana are the said magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. __Now, after accidentaly setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, __and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, __not having Clow to provide them mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live._

_It's never too much:_

"Character talking"

º_Character thinking_º

(Me talking)

Now, let's begin!

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 4**: _Sakura, the Sword and the Shield_

**Part 1:** "_It's not a Crush!" Or "It's not his Aura!" Or "They're not your Cards!"_

June 4th, Monday morning.

Sakura ran down the stairs.

"Morning!" She said cheerfully to her family.

"Good morning." They greeted back. Nadeshiko and Fujitaka were preparing breakfast and Touya sitting on a chair beside the table, reading the newspaper.

Touya gave a mischievous look to Sakura when she put her backpack down on a corner. "What happened? I've never seen the monster get up this early." He said smirking.

Sakura tried to stomp his foot but he was prepared already and all she managed to hit was the floor. "I'm not a monster oniichan!" She said glaring at him.

Touya laughed. "Is that so? Then how come you've slept for fifteen hours straight yesterday?" He said. "You must be a bear then, to be hibernating like that."

Sakura blushed. º_That's because I'm still getting used to magic!_º She screamed in her head, and even though she wanted to rub that on her brothers face, she knew it wouldn't be very smart. "That's..." She paused trying to think of a good excuse. Her efforts were useless though, cause before she could say anything Fujitaka was already speaking.

"That's not important right now." He said while peacefully chopping some vegetables. "Come here Sakura-chan. I've got it all prepared for you." He said. Sakura cheerfully skipped her way to her father's side.

Touya raised an eyebrow. "Prepared for what?"

"Sakura-chan is making lunch for her friend." Nadeshiko said as Sakura started the fire on the stove and, instructed by Fujitaka, prepared a dish.

"Friend? You mean Tomoyo?" Touya asked.

"No, not her." Nadeshiko answered in a tone that said 'don't be ridiculous'.

Touya went back to reading his paper and only when an unpleasant thought came in his head he decided to question them further on the subject. He raised his eyes from the news again. "Who exactly is this friend?" He asked cautiously.

Sakura sighed. She knew exactly what Touya's reaction to her next words would be. "Li-kun." She said not daring to face her brother.

Touya felt a little vein popping out of his head.

In Japan, it is a known tradition for a girl to share her homemade lunch with a boy in school. With her boyfriend to be more precise.

Needless to say that Sakura had to start her dish all over again after Touya's outburst. This, of course, caused her to be late for school again.

* * *

A bell ringed announcing lunch time on Tomoeda Elementary. The cafeteria doors were open and soon, dozens of hungry students would be filling the long tables. Still, there were many students who opted for a homemade lunch that they could eat on open air. In Sakura's class, particularly, most of the children did that. The school campus was a much nicer place to have lunch than the cafeteria, especially on spring and summer. 

Along with many other students, Syaoran walked out of his classroom. He was ready to go to his usual spot on top of a cherry tree where he could eat alone, even though he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to eat there that day. He was actually pretty sure his only choice would be the cafeteria.

As he expected, he couldn't make it all the way to the cherry tree without being disturbed. In fact, he couldn't even make it out of the classroom.

"What is it?" He said facing Sakura with an impatient frown. Sakura had a warm smile on. Little did he know that he was the direct cause of the smile. After capturing The Thunder card, he and Sakura hadn't had the chance to talk again, and Sakura was still unsure if he was going to keep ignoring her like he'd been doing for a while. By lunchtime she thought he really was still doing that, he hadn't even greeted her when she walked in the classroom fifteen minutes late. But when she told him to wait for her, he turned around and looked at her directly in the eye again.

Sakura showed him the lunch box on her hand with a certain pride. "I said I'd make you lunch today remember? Didn't you read the note?" She asked.

Syaoran nodded, still holding a stern face. "I did. I appreciate it." He said, not really showing any signs of appreciation. He felt stupid. He had felt stupid that morning when he decided not to bring his own lunch, like Sakura had asked him. He had felt more stupid when he realized the girl had probably forgotten about it by now and he wasn't going to have any lunch at all. When Sakura finally confirmed that she had kept her word and he had spent his morning worrying over something stupid he felt even more stupid than before.

He imagined he was looking very stupid at the moment.

Sakura failed to see that Syaoran was mentally kicking himself. She put her free hand around his wrist and, before he could understand why she had done that, she pulled him out of the classroom and through the hallway. "Come on, you should have lunch with everybody for a change." She said, not paying attention to Syaoran's protests as she pulled him out of the classroom. "You always eat alone."

They were halfway through the hallway when Syaoran decided he could walk on his own and pulled his arm free from Sakura's grasp.

When Sakura felt his wrist slip away from her hand she thought that the boy had tripped on something and fallen on the floor. When she turned around to see if he had hurt himself she met the same impatient frown Syaoran had given her when she first approached him. Suddenly, it didn't feel so good being able to look at him in the eye again.

"Listen..." He said. "I said I appreciate what you did, but..." He made a short pause to consider very well his next words. They were words that he had been considering all through Sunday night and that morning.

**ººººFLASHBACKºººº**

Syaoran sat in the middle of a magic circle he had drawn on his roof with chalk. He had spent the whole Sunday afternoon there, looking for a particular magical aura.

He let out a loud sigh and lied down on the concrete floor, exhausted. "It's no use. I can't feel a single magical aura around here. The man who phoned me last night... If he was doing anything magical I'm sure his aura would show." He said to himself between heavy panting.

Last night a mysterious phone call had told him exactly where to find the Thunder card. Not only that, but when he asked who was he speaking to, the only response he got was a short glimpse of a powerful aura coming from the direction of the Penguin Park. What had intrigued him the most was that the powerful aura was remarkably similar to Sakura's aura.

Syaoran finally gave up his searching for that day and erased the chalk marks on the floor with his feet. Inevitably, his mind wandered back to the same subject that haunted him all the time.

º_There's something going on with that girl._º He had gone over the possibility that the reason he felt weird around Sakura was because she was actually experienced with her magical powers and had put a spell on him. That theory didn't last much though. Still, he was almost sure by now that there was something about that whole situation that went beyond her aura messing up his thoughts or, like Mei Ling used to say, him being completely hopeless when dealing with other people. Therefore his final conclusion was that he should avoid Sakura for the meantime. This time, however, instead of just ignoring her, he would make his intentions clear.

**ººººEND OF FLASHBACKºººº**

"I said I appreciate what you did, but I..." He hesitated. He didn't even notice as that weird feeling he usually felt around her, which made him say the stupidest things, started taking over again. All he knew was that saying what he was about to say meant he would have to keep his distance from Sakura and that thought for some reason displeased him a lot.

Even though he had told himself this would happen, just like the time Terada approached them about Sakura tutoring him, he felt completely helpless against it now.

Sakura looked at him confused. "But you what?" She asked. Syaoran was staring at her. His lips were trembling and he was frowning hard. He looked like someone who was being tickled by a thousand feathers but was not allowed to laugh. Laughing, however, was the last thing going through his mind right now.

By now, Syaoran was almost completely taken over by the feeling and there was only a small part in his mind that told him to ignore it. Still, he felt as if that was the only sane part he had left and, between shut teeth, he forced the words out of his mouth. "I really appreciate what you did, but you have to understand that I have no intentions of making any friends here." He said.

"What?" Sakura was confused by the sudden change of subject Syaoran had chosen.

"I know you think this is all very fun but it's not like that!" He said taking care not to raise his voice. The last thing he wanted was everybody looking at them. Sakura looked very surprised already. "I came here just because it's my obligation as the future leader of the Li family. The only reason I am even letting you assist me is because you might help me get the cards back faster." He said. In his mind he could hear that insane part telling him there were other reasons, but he was ignoring that part of his mind right now. "But, up to now, all you've accomplished was to nearly get yourself killed, so it's safe for me to assume that you're only slowing me down." He said somewhat regretting every word.

Sakura wasn't sure what had caused Syaoran's sudden change of mind, so she didn't know what she was supposed to say. She opened her mouth to see if something would come out but it was to no avail.

Syaoran finally broke the silence. "I won't stop you from getting the cards on your own if you still feel like it's your responsibility." He said turning away. "But when I finish getting them I'll take them all back to China."

Sakura nodded slowly. She didn't see any choice but to agree with him. When Syaoran started walking away without taking any food with him she felt a hint of guilt run through her.

For some reason, while Syaoran spoke to her just then, she felt childish, just like a kid feels when she finds out that Santa isn't real.

She imagined she was looking very stupid at the moment.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong. 

Yelan was playing a relaxing tune on a piano with her four daughters by her side, listening closely to each note that she played. The melody seemed to bring the four girls to the verge of tears.

"Mother, you're the best piano player ever." Feimei said when Yelan hit the last note.

Yelan smiled. "Don't be silly." She said. "I still have much to learn." She stood up from the little stool she was seating on and walked to a glass sliding door that led to a balcony. She looked at the horizon with a distant face. "I wonder how Xiao Lang is doing."

An old man who held a great resemblance to Wei entered the room. "I'm sorry to disturb you Li-sama, but a letter has just arrived from the young master." He had an envelope in his hands.

The four sisters immediately ran to the man's side and stared at the envelope, not daring to touch it before their mother. "A letter from Xiao Lang?" Fanren asked with glee.

Shiefa hugged Fanren in excitement. "I can't believe he sent a letter to us like he promised. I'm so curious!"

Yelan walked to them slowly. "Even though you're much older than your brother, you act as if you were years younger." She said giggling at her daughters's behavior.

"Let's read it mother!" Fuutie said, holding her hands back in a desperate desire to take the piece of paper from the man's hands.

Yelan finally took the envelope in her own hands and opened it. "Thank you, Fei." She said to the man. Fei bowed before leaving the room.

Yelan took the letter out of the envelope. "Let's see what he has to say." She unfolded the piece of paper and read it out loud. The four girls paying as much attention as one can pay.

_'Dear mother and sisters._

_I have successfully located the book. It was the book in the Kinomoto residence as we expected. Unfortunately, before I could even enter the house to take it, the girl, Kinomoto Sakura, accidentally broke the seal. Not only that, but, after opening the book, she used the Windy card (accidentally again) and the cards went flying through her roof. Now they are scattered around here and I have to look for them. When the seal was broken, Kerberos appeared too. (He is much less impressive than I had expected though.) Currently, he, I and the girl, who is still learning to use her magic, are looking for the cards. We haven't gotten many, but I expect them to be easier to catch as time goes by. The lack of a source of mana will not only make them more aggressive but it will also make them weaker. Right now all we can do is wait for them to show themselves and hope that they haven't gone too far. Still, I ask of you not to send any help, this is my trial and I want to deserve the approval._

_Love, Xiao Lang_'

The Li sisters all sighed when Yelan read the last words. "Wow! They must be having a lot of trouble down there." Fuutie said.

The sisters nodded in agreement. "Do you think we should really let him do this by himself? This is serious business." She wondered. "Not that I don't trust Syaoran, but, is his trial more important than getting the Clow cards back safely?"

Yelan meditated on the answer to that question.

She finally came to a conclusion. "We won't interfere." She stated firmly. The sisters looked at her surprised. "Even at such a young age Syaoran is much more powerful than any of you, and I believe that it won't take long for him to be even more powerful than myself." She continued. "As a matter of fact, I think that going after the cards will prove to be a spectacular training for him."

The sisters all brightened up at that thought. "You're right!" Feimei said. "Imagine that, when he finally gets all the cards back, he'll be the best magician ever. It's a training that you can't get anywhere else."

Yelan nodded. "It's like having Clow himself train you personally."

* * *

Back in Tomoeda. 

Syaoran walked out of the school gates alone. He wasn't even looking exactly where he was going, he just wanted to walk a bit. He would be back before lunchtime was over.

From the moment he had talked to Sakura, he had been trying to figure out why he felt so divided. He actually felt like one half of his mind was scolding him for his actions and the other half was congratulating him for them. And deep inside, he didn't feel satisfied with any of those halves.

His thoughts were interrupted, before he could even get two steps away from the gates, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Syaoran-kun." Syaoran jumped in surprise, it almost felt like his thoughts were being invaded and he had to hide them quickly. He turned around to see Takashi with his friendly face. "Where are you going?"

"What do you want, Yamazaki-san?" He asked frowning.

Takashi had been the one to approach Syaoran about the soccer team, and so far, was pretty much the only one who didn't hesitate when talking to him. Syaoran wasn't sure why the boy had been so friendly with him, but he didn't care much. He had actually had a couple of pleasant conversations with the boy.

"Stop calling me Yamazaki-san. I feel like some sort of old geezer. You can call me by my name, you know?" He said annoyed. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you if you heard about what's been happening lately here in Tomoeda."

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked puzzled.

"It's just that lately, people have been talking about a lot of weird things. Some people say that they saw a giant bird flying around the city." Syaoran's eyes widened. "A few days ago, a mysterious cloud appeared on the Penguin Park and vanished as quickly as it had appeared." His eyes widened even more. "And just this Saturday, some mysterious flashes of light could be seen on Penguin Park too." Syaoran felt his palms start to sweat. "Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence that all of these rumors took place in the same week? I mean, there are a lot of eye witnesses."

Syaoran was paralyzed. "S-sure, it's very weird. Maybe there's a... a prankster around. Spreading rumors... yeah..."

Takashi eyed him suspiciously. "But what intrigued me the most..." He said raising an eyebrow for effect. "Was the fact that it all began on the same day you arrived here in Tomoeda." Syaoran cursed himself under his breath. He'd been caught.

"That's another big coincidence, isn't it?" He said rubbing the back of his head, feeling Takashi's gaze searching him for any hint on the mystery.

Takashi suddenly started laughed loudly. "I know. Maybe you're cursed or something." He said between laughs, patting Syaoran on the back.

Syaoran laughed a meek laugh. "Yeah... Maybe I am." He said before sighing in relief.

The conversation was interrupted when Chiharu popped out of nowhere taking Takashi's ear and pulling him away from Syaoran. "Are you done telling lies?!" She scolded the boy. She turned to face Syaoran. "Don't mind him, Li-kun. He's always making up crazy stories. With all these crazy rumors around he is overwhelmed." She said. "I'm swear I'm gonna find out who's the clown who's been spreading these absurd stories around."

Syaoran nodded slowly. "It's okay."

Takashi seemed to be ignoring Chiharu as she pulled him back inside the school gates. He just kept on talking, with a smile on his face. "There has also been a rumor of a mysterious girl who attacked her own sister. They say she was using a sword and a shield, but the weapons were never found. The girl said she couldn't remember a thing after the incident but I think..." He couldn't be heard anymore because Chiharu had taken him inside the school building.

Syaoran sighed in relief. º_He almost found out._º He thought. º_How can I keep this a secret like that?_º

Suddenly, what Takashi had just said arose some interest in his head. "Wait a second... A mysterious girl with a sword and a shield? Could it be?" He returned to the school building with the subject on his mind.

* * *

Later, during Sakura's cheerleading practice. 

Sakura casually spun her baton around, but that was only on the background of her mind. She was thinking about the words Syaoran had told her a few hours ago.

º_Was it because of what happened with The Thunder?_º She thought. Her mind wandered back to the moment the boy saved her. At that day, she had felt Syaoran's aura just the way it was on her dream, twice. First when they flew on her staff, and then when he saved her. But not on the moment he saved her, only when the card was finally caught and everyone was out of danger did she get a glimpse of it, before he fell unconscious. All the other time his aura felt different. Somehow she knew it was a gentle aura, but there was something wrong with it.

**ººººFLASHBACKºººº**

"Li-kun!" Sakura shook the boy's body desperately.

"Don't worry, Sakura, he's only fainted. He used up too much energy to fight the card." Kero said with a half smile on his face. "Like we said before: Magical energy, also known as mana, is the very essence of life. If you use it carelessly you might have serious problems." He continued. "What happened here is just a small example of that. He attacked the card directly with his own mana so his body forced him to rest so he could reestablish the lost energy."

Sakura felt relieved to hear that. "So, it's like when you do a lot of sports and then you take a nap to rest?" She said to make sure she knew it was something harmless.

Kero nodded. "It's exactly the same thing. There isn't much difference between the energy you spend on sports and the mana you spend on a spell." He said. "Basically, mana is the fuel for the soul and physical energy is the fuel for the body."

Sakura nodded. She sat down on the grass and relaxed her muscles. The whole conversation was helping her body return to its normal pace. "So, when I feel a big aura, it means that the person has a lot of mana?"

"Right. Just like when you see a big guy and you know that he's strong." He said. "But like we said before, it's not that easy to see someone's aura. Usually you can only feel it when the person's actually using her mana for something."

Sakura looked at the stars. "Kero-chan, when I told Tomoyo that I thought there was something weird with Li-kun's aura you were going to say something..."

"Oh yeah." Kero smacked himself in the head for forgetting that. "You said that you felt his aura differently in your dream. How different was it?" He asked.

Sakura didn't need to think half a second to answer that question. "Completely different."

Kero folded his arms and put himself to think. "About that..." He said seriously. "Though the mana is constantly flowing in and out of our spiritual bodies, our aura doesn't suffer much change. The aura itself is the manifestation of our soul in this world, so it can't change much more than the body can change." He proceeded. "Even if a person's aura had gotten stronger through the years, it should still be recognizable, unless the person had intentionally modified his aura somehow, but that takes some serious magic. It's much more complicated than these plastic surgeries you people do nowadays.

"Well..." Sakura looked at Syaoran's prone body. "There were times when I felt his aura just like I did in my dream."

Kero looked at Syaoran too. "Listen Sakura, you shouldn't worry about that know." He said, studying the boy's features. "Right now our priorities should be getting the cards back and..." He slapped his mouth with his paw to stop himself from continuing. ºI _nearly told her._º

Sakura eyed him with curiosity. "And what?"

"Sakura-chan!"

Kero sighed in relief when Tomoyo showed up running towards them and distracted Sakura, but the girl was left with that slip he gave on her mind. º_I can't tell her that. At least not for now._º

**ººººEND OF FLASHBACKºººº**

"Ouch!"

Sakura woke up from her daydream with her own baton hitting her, right in the middle of the forehead.

"Sakura-chan!" Chiharu ran to the girl's side. "Are you OK?"

Sakura nodded, rubbing the lump on her head. "I think so. I just got a little distracted."

Chiharu giggled. "Typical." She said. "You would be the best cheerleader among us if only you could wave your baton around for five minutes without 'getting a little distracted.'" She said.

The cheerleading team joyfully laughed, much to Sakura's embarrassment. "I'm sorry." She said as her face reddened.

Chiharu patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry about that." She said. "Just go put some ice on that lump, it's getting really big."

* * *

Syaoran's house, approximately 6:00 pm. 

Syaoran entered his room exhausted. He had just gone through a particularly rough training session. Though there had been nothing special about his training routine, he had deliberately dedicated himself more that day, in a hope to get all the thoughts out of his mind. Unfortunately, he had found out it was useless to even try that.

He couldn't help but wanting to take back all the words he'd said to Sakura, but he also couldn't help but feeling like an idiot for wanting to take them back.

He had gone over the possibility of talking to someone about it, but he knew no one would believe him. They would all say the same thing. They'd say he has a crush on her. That he likes her and that he can't admit it to himself because he never liked a girl in that way before.

He himself had thought that such a crazy theory might be possible when it all started. He recognized that she was somewhat cute and her naiveness was amusing sometimes, but even though he didn't know what it feels like to have a crush, he was absolutely sure it wasn't like that. Plus, he had known her for only a week. He could barely say he knew her actually. There was something more to all that. Something he couldn't get a grasp on.

"Hey!" Syaoran's heart nearly popped out of his mouth when he looked at his balcony. There was Kero, waving his paw, with a serious face that Syaoran had never seen him use. If it weren't for his small, furry body, he would even look respectful with that face. "Open this door, we have to talk." The guardian said knocking on the glass door impatiently.

"What do you want?" Syaoran said sliding the door just enough so that Kero could come in.

Kero flew into the room and landed on the boy's cupboard. "Listen well to what I am about to say." Kero started, skipping any greetings that might have been appropriate. "I'm sorry if you've come here to Japan with the intentions of taking the Clow cards back to the Li family, but that won't happen." He said.

Syaoran frowned at the statement. Sakura had probably told Kero about their conversation at school. "What do you mean? I have to take them back. The Li's are the only descendants of Clow today and the rightful owners of the cards!" He said, repeating what he'd heard many times during his training back in Hong Kong.

Kero shook his head. "You see, the cards are not an heirloom. Once they're all caught, their only owner is going to be Sakura."

TO BE CONTINUED...

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**A/N:** _What?! Sakura? Yeah, right, like you didn't see that coming._

_Anyway... you know what I'm going to say so I won't even bother. Go ahead and do your part._

_Falou! (More Brazilian greetings for beginners, today's lesson: "Goodbyes")_


	10. Sakura, the Sword and the Shield, Part 2

Guess what? It's me again.

**A/N:**_ I know you're all dying to know what Syaoran will say, but please take your time to read the new "The Plot Thickens" session. Every time you're lost in the plot (Cause it will start to thicken a lot from now on.) you can just come back and read a few of these. They are quick and objective, so even if I reach chapter 100 it would take less than ten minutes to read them all._

**Disclaimer: So, I am to understand that you believe that I told you that I actually owned CCS? You're crazy! I'd never say such a thing. You're spreading a disgusting lie around and I will make you pay for the humiliation I am going through because of you. I hate you! Go away! **

**The Plot Thickens: **_Syaoran was surprised when he heard that the trial he needed to go through to be the future leader of the Li clan was getting the Clow cards in Japan back to Hong Kong. Already in the first week the boy spent in Japan, he noticed some weird things happening around him. First, the strange feeling of anxiety that he got near Tsukishiro Yukito, and second the also strange, but different, feeling he got around Sakura. A strong urge to protect her and to be around her all the time that he just couldn't explain. Sakura, who had first seen the boy's aura in a premonition dream, noticed that his aura felt different in the real life, which intrigued Kero very much. And then, when Syaoran was already filled with things troubling him, the guardian of the cards came to him and told him to give up on the cards cause their owner would be Sakura, not him._

_There you go. Now I'll just thank you for the wonderful reviews, and you're forgiven Mew Frost. A person's projects are always important. (Unless you mean school projects... Then you're still forgiven, but school projects just suck. P)_

_The basics:_

"Character talking"

º_Character thinking_º

(Me talking)

_Now, let's begin! (I'll be putting this little introduction down here in every chapter too so that people always remember how magic works in my version of CLAMP's world. Skip it if you remember how it does, cause unlike "_**The Plot Thickens**_" it will never change.)_

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learned to manipulate the mana are the said magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live._

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 4**: _Sakura, the Sword and the Shield_

**Part 2:** _The Spell_

"You see, the cards are not an heirloom. Once they're all caught, their only owner is going to be Sakura."

Syaoran's eyes widened with shock. "What?! Why? She doesn't know a thing about the cards. She's just a random girl who happened to be born with a natural talent! I was trained in magic since I was old enough to walk!" He said desperately. "It's not just raw power that counts! You gotta have experience to own something as powerful as the cards."

At the same second Syaoran said that, Kero forgot his serious face and broke into laughter. "Yeah! And your whole twelve years of life must hold so much wisdom within them." He said sarcastically. "I'm so sorry for underestimating you. Maybe you should teach me a thing or two about magic." He broke into laughter again.

Syaoran felt his rage building up. "I have much more experience than her at least!"

Kero's laugh slowly faded and he tried to make a serious face again. "You have a point there, but in a few years her magic will be so great you wouldn't even have the guts to say something like that." He said. "It's just a matter of her learning how to use her powers properly. And what better way to do this than constantly having to give your mana to fifty two cars and two guardians?"

Syaoran closed his fist as tight as he could to contain his anger. "So what?" He started. "Why would she even want the cards? She's just a regular girl. I have years of tradition behind me. Those cards actually mean something to me."

Kero sighed. "I have to agree with you on that too. I wasn't expecting the seal to be broken by accident like that." He said.

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Syaoran asked.

Kero made a short pause, adding a little tension to his next words. "When Clow put me in the book to guard the cards, he asked one thing of me." Kero said. "He said that when the seal on the book was finally broken, I should judge if the person who broke it was worthy of having the cards. If I didn't approve of the person, I should hide the book in a new place and go back inside of it, the seal would lock itself again." He made another pause to see if Syaoran was keeping up. "If I did approve, the person would have to go under another trial and then would finally be the rightful owner of the cards."

Syaoran studied the guardian's face. He seemed to be telling the truth. He had a nostalgic look on his face. "And you judge her capable? Why don't you judge me?" He asked.

Kero sighed. "If you had paid attention you would have noticed that I said I am only to judge the one who broke the seal. Clow specifically told me not to consider anyone else." He said. "And I'm not judging if she's capable or not. That's the other judge's job. I am only looking at her heart."

Syaoran stopped short. "The heart?" It made sense to him. Sakura seemed like the last person in the world who would use the cards for her own benefit. She was too naive for something like that. "So that's why you've..."

Kero nodded. "My only regret is that maybe Sakura won't want to be the cards' mistress. It is a lot of responsibility for a young girl like her." He said. "That's why I'm giving her more time before letting her know."

Syaoran was hesitating a bit now. If it really was Clow's wish that the cards belonged to Sakura, how could he be against that? It would be theft to take the cards for himself. He took a deep breath to try and calm down. "You mean I have no chance of being judged too?" He said.

Kero shook his head. "Not by me." He answered.

Syaoran felt his hopes going away. º_Well, I guess this is it then.º_ He thought. _ºIf it's Clow's wish I can't do anything about it._º He meditated on his situation for a while before directing his word at Kero again. "But then, why did you let me keep those two Clow cards?" He asked.

"Like you said..." Kero answered. "Sakura is still not very experienced. It wouldn't be too good for her to take two powerful cards like Shadow and Thunder at the same time. She already feels exhausted just from providing mana for me and the other cards."

"So you were using me." Syaoran stated.

Kero shook his head. "No, it was Sakura's choice to give you the cards. I just went along with it cause I though it would be good for her." He said. "Though I admit that I hadn't told you all this until now because I hopped that you would help Sakura get the cards back."

Syaoran sighed. All of a sudden he felt insignificant in the whole story. Up until now they were collecting the cards for him. Sakura was helping him. He was the protagonist. Now she was the future mistress of the cards and he had been reduced to just a boy who's there, assisting Sakura in getting the cards for herself. He was like her sidekick.

He snorted ironically. "Meaning you were just going to take the cards I had and tell me to go back home when it all ended."

Kero shook his head again. "My intentions were to leave that decision to Sakura. And they still are." He said.

For the first time Syaoran felt sympathy for the little guardian. "You're saying that if she decides to give me the cards you'll go along with it?"

Kero nodded. "I'd have no choice." He said. "But if I think that it's not a good idea I will surely let her know." Syaoran snorted when Kero made that last observation.

The two stood there staring at each other for a while.

"Bottom line is..." The guardian said breaking the silence. "You should stay here and get the cards back with us. Right now we should be more concerned about the damage the cards might be causing than about who's going to keep them."

Syaoran didn't say anything, but he seemed to agree with Kero on that. He decided to finish that subject. "That's all you wanted to talk about?" He asked.

Kero shook his head. "Actually, I have a few questions I'd like to ask."

Syaoran sighed. He was getting tired of talking to the guardian. "What is it?"

"First of all, how many cards have you got that we don't know of?" He asked.

"Just The Shadow and The Silent." He said. "I captured them both on that morning I skipped school, found them together."

"Why didn't you tell us? We could have helped you get them." Kero said.

Syaoran had two reasons to get the cards on his own. First, he had complete trust in his own abilities. Second, whatever it was that was making him feel weird around Sakura, told him to keep her as far away from danger as possible. "I have complete confidence in my own abilities."

"Overestimating yourself again." Kero said. "Alright, so you're capturing cards in secret, but how did you know where The Thunder was that night?" He asked.

Syaoran explained to Kero all about the phone call, leaving out only the fact that the aura that he felt reminded him of Sakura.

"That's strange." Kero said. "Who could want to help us get the cards back?"

"I don't know, but whoever he is, he doesn't want us to know his identity." Syaoran said.

"Well, whoever it is, he'll probably show up again. We just have to wait." Kero said. After a short break for thinking about the subject he faced Syaoran again. "Now, moving on..."

"There's more?" Syaoran protested. "I thought you just wanted to have a quick conversation. I didn't expect this sort of Spanish inquisition!"

Kero ignored his comment. "Sakura told me something really curious the day we captured The Thunder."

Syaoran was intrigued by those words. He had no idea what Sakura could possibly have told Kero that involved him. "And what was that?"

"She told me..." He started. "That she had felt two distinct auras coming from you on separate occasions. You know what that means don't you?"

Syaoran gasped. He knew exactly what that meant.

When Kero said those words he felt a world of answers falling down on him, and also a new world of questions. But much simpler questions than the ones he had before. "Is that..." He said excited. "Was she sure of that?" He asked. Whatever Kero's words had meant, it had made him change his mood instantly.

Kero nodded positively. "So, you didn't know about it." He said.

"Well, I suspected that it could be happening but..." He trailed off. He felt a big weight being taken off his back. He couldn't help but smile and laugh at his behavior on the past week. The feeling that his mind was divided, the stupid things he'd say, the despair he'd feel whenever Sakura was in danger. It all made sense now.

Kero smirked. "You're happy to find out about this? You do know exactly what this means, don't you?"

Syaoran suppressed his own smirk. "Yes. But I think it's much better to know of its existence."

Kero nodded. "You have a point." He said. "So... Do you know exactly what its nature is?"

Syaoran tensed up. "I..." He knew the answer to the question, at least partially. "Not really." He said.

Kero sighed. "That's too bad." He said. "Got any idea who did it?"

Syaoran shook his head. This time he really didn't know the answer. "But it must be someone good with magic. I couldn't even detect it." He said. "And I can't seem to shield myself against it either."

Kero seemed to feel sorry for Syaoran. "If I had my powers I could try to help you, but for now, all you can do is hope that this spell you've got isn't anything too bad." He said. "I don't think it is. And I'm sure that it's linked in some way to the man that phoned you." Syaoran nodded. He was nearly sure of that too.

Silence set in for a couple of minutes, both thinking about the meaning of those strange events.

Syaoran finally decided he'd rather think alone. "So, anything more?"

Kero shook his head. "That's all." He flew out of the cupboard and to the front of Syaoran's face. "I'll be going now. Don't expect me to be this nice to you ever again brat." He said with a smirk on his face.

Syaoran punched in the back of the head. "I won't." He said, but he too had a smirk on the face.

Kero glared at him before turning his back to the boy and flying towards the balcony.

"Oh..." Syaoran said, getting the guardian's attention. "Tell Kinomoto-san I apologize for today." He said.

Kero chuckled. "Being nice to her is not gonna help you get the cards." He said.

Syaoran frowned. "This is not about the cards." He said.

Kero recognized Syaoran's serious face as a sign that the boy was actually offended by what he had said. "Alright. I'll tell her." He flew out of the balcony.

Syaoran closed the door behind the guardian and smiled to himself. º_It was just a spell. Somebody wanted me to feel that way. It really wasn't me back there. Someone was intentionally messing up with my feelings using some sort of magic._º Now that he knew the truth, he felt as if all the contradiction had vanished from his mind. He was sure that the spell that had been cast on him wouldn't take effect anymore now that he was aware of it. He felt he could fight it back now.

He was absolutely wrong.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, by the shores of a small lake, Syaoran was in his magician vest, fighting a ten year old girl that had a sword and a shield on her hands. 

Or rather, was about to fight her. Kero and Sakura were watching him, not making any efforts to stop the fight that was about to start. Beside them was a little eight year old girl that looked a lot like the one with the sword. The only differences between them besides their height was that the little girl had her dark brown hair in a ponytail, while the older one had it loose, and the little girl looked terrified, while the older one looked cold.

Sakura seemed eager to do something. She had just arrived at the scene and Kero had told her that she shouldn't interfere with the fight. "Why not?" She asked holding her staff up.

Kero wasn't taking his eyes off the fight that ensued. "They're going to duel. It was the brat's idea." He said. "If he wins, The Sword and The Shield cards will leave the girl's body and be his, but if he looses..."

Sakura felt a chill run down her back. She didn't want to know how that sentence ended. Instead she changed the subject. "And who are you?" She said to the little girl.

The girl answered the question, but her mind seemed to be somewhere else. "I'm her sister, Ritsuko." She said.

Sakura understood now why the girl looked so terrified. She looked at the two who where about to duel. They were both staring at each other intently. Syaoran didn't seem to take notice of Sakura's presence, or anybody else for that matter.

"Hurry up, Kerberos!" The girl with the sword said, frowning. Her voice sounded powerful, but had a lifeless tone to it. "We already accepted your stupid terms, what else do you want?" Sakura was surprised when she spoke. Until now, she had never seen a card actually speak. Even if it was through a possessed person, it was still pretty amazing.

Syaoran didn't move a muscle. In his mind he was cursing himself. Now that Sakura was there he had found out that the spell on him was a very powerful one, and he was still affected by that feeling that came to him whenever she was around. He wouldn't be able to concentrate with her there. A part of his mind would be constantly panicking over the possibility that she might get involved in the fight and get hurt. All the odds were against him.

The tension kept building up.

Ritsuko looked at them with fright. She was finding it hard to keep her eyes open. It was the second time this had happened to her sister, but the other time she had come back to her usual self before anything too bad could happen. Now, not only was she persisting on that craziness, but she was going to fight the Chinese boy who also had a sword. And even though he had saved her from being cut in half a couple of minutes before, she felt anger at him for wanting to fight her sister. And to top all that she had just seen a stuffed bear talking to a girl that had flown down from the sky.

Sakura held her staff tightly. She didn't know why Syaoran would want to duel the card so formally like that, especially knowing that it had possessed an innocent girl, but so far the boy had shown himself wiser than her in fighting the cards so she thought he might be doing the right thing. However she had her staff ready to act if anything happened. Even if Syaoran had told her not to interfere, she had to. Somewhere inside her she knew that she couldn't just leave the cards to Syaoran like that, especially because of her dream.

Kero looked from Syaoran to the possessed girl. He had been given the position of judge of the duel. Probably the cards still trusted him. They were just waiting for his sign to start the battle now. He knew Syaoran's only objective was to disarm the girl. The Sword and the Shield could only possess someone who touched them. Once disarmed, the cards would be nothing but inanimate objects to be captured.

"Start!" He said firmly.

Syaoran and the girl jumped at each other and their swords collided. Two times. Three times. It was only on Syaoran's fourth strike that the girl defended herself with the shield. When his sword collided with the object he was distracted for a second. He hadn't felt any impact, nor had he heard the sound of metal he expected. It felt as if there was a hand holding his sword, even though his eyes clearly told him he had just hit a metal surface. The girl took the chance to wave her sword on Syaoran's side. The boy jumped back and avoided the attack, but barely.

Meanwhile, the others were watching the battle with tension. Occasionally a gasp could be heard from Sakura or a scream from Ritsuko. Kero however just watched silently.

Syaoran and the girl stared at each other considering their next move. Syaoran finally decided upon the best strategy and charged against the girl again. She shielded herself again. When he felt his attack being stopped again he let go of the sword and turned his body so he would be behind the girl. He had the advantage now. All he had to do was hit her on a vital point so she would faint. He quickly raised his fist in a chopping position and let it drop on a spot right between the girl's neck and her left shoulder.

He was sure that would end the fight, but to his surprise his hand couldn't make it all the way down. There was a magical barrier protecting the girl's whole body. The girl took the advantage to elbow Syaoran's stomach.

Syaoran felt like he would fall on his knees when he was hit, but his instincts told him he needed to jump back. And indeed, if he hadn't, he would have a rather nasty cut on his torso.

"You're using magic!" He said, angry. "I thought this was a sword duel."

The girl smirked. "You never said anything about not using magic." She said.

Syaoran took a Clow card from his pocket. "If you say so." He said. "You've made a big mistake."

He held the card with two fingers, at the height of his face. "The Thunder." He said confidently. "Not only is it a much stronger card than you, specially in the weakened state you're in, but it is also a Moon card, meaning it will be very efficient when getting rid of this shield of yours, which is a Sun card."

The girl's smirk vanished. "I won't let you use it." She said, before charging at full speed.

"Thunder!" Syaoran shouted. A bolt of lightning flew out of his hands and hit the shield directly. The girl dropped the object as if it had burned her.

Before it could even hit the floor the metal surface of the shield turned into a more ethereal sort of substance, giving it a ghostly look.

Syaoran jumped to where his sword rested on the grass and took it. "Return to the shape you are meant to be in. Clow card." He shouted, pointing his sword at the object.

The Shield promptly entered the transformation process, leaving in the end only a small card that flew into Syaoran's hands.

"One down." He said, putting the card in his pocket. "Now you shouldn't be much more trouble."

He jumped back when he looked at the possessed girl's eyes. They had only pure rage in them. "I won't loose to you." She cried.

"Misato-chan, don't!" Ritsuko shouted. She was now running towards her sister, ignoring all the danger she was putting herself in. "Please stop." Sakura ran after her, but before she could do anything the older sister had jumped towards Ritsuko and put her on a headlock

"You will give me your mana and I'll leave you all alone." The girl said putting her sword dangerously close to Ritsuko's face.

They all froze. Any false movements would mean tragedy now.

Sakura felt panic set in. She knew now that Syaoran was right. She had been taking all of this too lightly. The cards were dangerous and the only reason someone as young as Syaoran could handle that was because he had intensive training. She on the other hand was just a little girl that put her nose where she wasn't called. She definitely couldn't handle that kind of situation.

"Please Misato-chan! I know you're still there." Ritsuko cried. She wasn't trying to break free from her sister's grasp, but she was doing her best to make her sister let her go by talking.

The card ignored Ritsuko. "Well... have you decided?" She asked impatiently.

Kero flew closer to her. "You should join us." He said. "She may not look like it, but this girl has enough powers. She is my master now, just like Clow once was." He said, indicating Sakura with his paw.

The card snorted. "You should be ashamed Kerberos. Denying your own creator. I serve Clow and no one else."

Kero shook his head. "You're the one denying Clow." He said. "This is what he wanted. This girl is the future mistress of the Clow cards."

"What?" Sakura and the card said simultaneously.

"Kerberos, you said..." Syaoran tried to say something, but he didn't know if he was confused, satisfied or disappointed at the Guardian.

Kero sighed. "That's right." Kero looked at Sakura apologetically. "'Only one who breaks my seal can ever be their new master.' Those were Clow's words."

The card seemed to be infuriated. "You're telling me she broke the seal?"

"It's true." Kero said.

"Then prove it! Show me if you're really worthy." In a desperate move the card let go of Ritsuko and charged, after Sakura.

Syaoran watched the fear slowly appear on Sakura's expression as the card charged. Now he knew that whatever was the spell that had been put on him, it was still working at its best. He was so terrified at the thought of the card slashing Sakura that he couldn't even move. Now that he knew the origin of that empty feeling it was stranger than ever. He knew that he wasn't really feeling those things, they were illusions, but they felt too real. He felt his heart start to race. Time seemed to be going on slow motion as the card charged. It was inevitable. He was too far from the two to reach them on time.

"Go!" He heard a voice say in his head, waking him up to reality. Before he could think about what he was doing he felt his sword collide with the girl's sword. He had made it, even though he didn't know how.

"Li-kun!" Sakura shouted.

"Get out of the way." The card shouted.

"Misato-chan!" Ritsuko shouted.

The card jumped back. "Get out. I'm through with you already." She said.

Syaoran took a defensive stance. "Didn't you hear Kerberos? This girl is your new mistress!" He said.

Upon hearing that, Sakura was sure that there was something she didn't know of going on. Not only was everybody saying something about her being the mistress of the cards, but, in a strange change of mind, Syaoran seemed to think that too. He who had just a few hours ago told her to give up on the cards.

The card was impatient. It charged against Syaoran. Ritsuko and Sakura looked away from the fight, but, hearing no sound that indicated an attack they looked back.

Syaoran had Misato in an arm lock, the girl was trying to break free but it was in vain. "That's what you get for possessing a little girl. Your body can't keep up with your skills." Syaoran said. He then faced Sakura. "Lock it, Kinomoto-san."

Sakura looked at Kero as if asking for advice on what to do. The guardian only nodded his head towards the card. She hesitatingly walked to the possessed girl. "Will she be OK?" She asked no one in particular when she noticed Ritsuko watching them from behind Syaoran. The younger sister had tears in her eyes.

"She will, don't worry." Kero said.

"And the card?" Sakura asked, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the helpless card. She didn't know until now that the cards had a personality and were so alive. "I mean, I don't want to capture it against its will." The card seemed surprised by that. "I want to help her, not trap her."

"Sakura..." Kero was at a loss for words.

"Go on, capture me." The card said suddenly. "If you're powerful enough to do it I'll take you as my new master." She said.

Sakura blinked twice in confusion. "What?"

"Hurry up." The card said.

Sakura saw nothing in the possessed girl's expression. No hint to show her why the card had suddenly changed its mind. She slowly raised her staff above her head. "Return to the shape you are meant to be in, Clow card!"

* * *

Touya once again talked to the mysterious figure. 

"You said he'd protect her." He said infuriated. "If it weren't for you, he'd have just watched as she was attacked!"

The figure sighed. "Yes, I guess my spell on him wasn't fail proof. But if I hadn't cast it in the first place, I wouldn't have been able to help them at all without showing myself."

"Then show yourself!" Touya said. "I don't care if you think it's better to wait. I won't have my sister risking her life."

"I can't do that. But don't worry. I would never let anything happen to Sakura-san." The figure answered. "So long as my spell on the boy is working and I'm watching them, you have nothing to worry about."

* * *

"So, you two promise not to tell anybody?" Sakura asked the girls. 

"Yes." The siblings answered in choir.

"Thanks." Sakura said. "Bye then."

"Bye." The girls said walking away.

The trio watched as the girls walked down the street. When they were finally out of sight Sakura turned to Kero and Syaoran. They were both looking away from her, feeling awkward. "What you told the card. Is it true?" She asked. "The cards are going to be mine?"

Kero nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before. That's what I was talking to the brat about today." He said and immediately dodged a punch from Syaoran.

Syaoran glared at him as if saying 'I'll get you next time.' He then turned to face Sakura. "When we get all the cards they'll be yours. It's what Clow said, I can't do anything about it." He explained, though it was clear that he wanted to do much about it.

"But didn't you have an obligation to your family?" She asked remembering what Syaoran had told her back at school.

"They'll understand. Taking the cards from you now would be stealing them." He said. "Clow's wishes are more important."

Sakura smiled inwardly. She didn't know why, but the perspective of being the future owner of the cards sounded wonderful to her. It felt more like a gift than a responsibility. "I'll do my best then."

"I'll be going now." Syaoran quickly turned away and started walking. He'd just experienced the effects of the spell for the first time since he found out about it, and that was the first time that his body actually moved on its own because of it. He didn't want to do anything at the moment but try to figure out how he was going to deal with that from now on.

"Wait!" Sakura called out, the boy looked at her inquisitively. "I thought about what you said back then at the school and... I think I should apologize." She said under a shy sigh.

Syaoran shook his head. "No, don't worry about that." He said before turning back again. He wasn't sure if he meant it, but he needed to get away from there.

* * *

Sakura´s house. 

Nadeshiko and Fujitaka were eating dinner by themselves.

"I'm worried about Sakura-chan and Touya-kun, she said she'd forgotten something at school, but it's been quite a while since she left, and soccer practice has never lasted so long." She said nervously eating her food.

Fujitaka smiled at her, she couldn't help but feel relaxed when looking his smile. But a part of her was also annoyed at how he kept his cool even when he shouldn't sometimes.

"Don't worry, Nadeshiko-chan, I'm sure they'll be fine."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Nadeshiko quickly got up and ran to the door. She opened it and found Sakura holding a stuffed animal in her arms.

"Sakura-chan, what took you so long?" She let her daughter in the house.

"I'm sorry, Kaa-san. I had a hard time finding him." She said holding up Kero.

"Well, go take a shower, you're all sweaty. I'll leave dinner for you on the refrigerator." Nadeshiko said.

"OK. Hi, Tou-san!" She waved her hand to her father who waved back smiling.

"Hello, Sakura-chan." He said.

"I'll go take a shower then." Sakura climbed the stairs and soon after that Touya entered the house.

"Touya-kun, where have you been?" Nadeshiko asked.

Touya sighed, he would have to make up some stupid lie. "We were recruiting new people in the team today. Took us longer than expected."

"Well, your sister is taking a shower, and you're right after her." Nadeshiko said.

"OK. Hi, Tou-san." He waved his hand to his father just like Sakura did.

And of course got the same response. "Hi, Touya-kun."

Touya climbed the up stairs to his room.

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere in Tomoeda. 

Two mysterious figures were talking to each other in a deserted street. One tall and one very short.

"I still think this spell you put on the boy is not a good idea. There's no chance of him taking the cards for himself anymore, so there's no need for the spell." The tall one said.

The short one sighed. "That's what I thought at first. But the events today proved that the best way for me to assure their safety is through him." The short one said. "I wish things would have been easier, but Sakura-san opening the book really caught me by surprise, and spreading the cards around just made things worst. I had to make these sorts of emergency changes in the plan."

"But it's unfair with him."

"I know... I wish I had another choice."

"You can trust him. Let him act on his own." The tall one said. "Maybe if he wasn't charmed in the first place he would have acted faster today. It was the panic feeling your spell is giving him that made him enter that state of chock. He is a well trained boy who would know how to keep his cool in these kinds of situations."

"That's a risk I can't take."

"You're being selfish Clow."

TO BE CONTINUED...

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Dum! Dum! Duuum!

Review! Now! Or else your tongue will turn into a snake, your hair will turn into worms, your eyes will turn into beetles, your feet into fish and your heart into cancer! I can do that, I mean it!

If you do review you will find eternal happiness and a big pot of gold in two years somewhere in Michigan.


	11. Sakura and the Possession, Part 1

I'm back!

**A/N:** _Thank you for all your wonderful and not so wonderful reviews. Particularly the wonderful ones... I mean... The ones that actually say something... Though I must say I'm getting less "Update plz!!!"s Than usual, so that's great. Thanks for your bothering to write something. From the deepest bottom of my heart._

**Disclaimer: Why the hell would somebody think I own Card Captor Sakura? If I did, I wouldn't be writing a fanfic, I would be writing a script for the anime.**

**The Plot Thickens:** _After a week spent on Japan, Syaoran found out that he was under the influence of a spell. He deduced that this spell was the origin of the strange feelings he was having towards Sakura and Yukito. Of course, that only meant a whole new set of questions for him. Who was behind that spell? Why? Since when? Would it ever stop? Despite a momentary feeling of relief when he found out about the cause of his weird behavior, Syaoran soon felt desperate in his lack of power to fight against the spell. So far, the closest to a hint that he got was a strange anonymous call that helped him find The Thunder._

"Character Talking"

º_Character Thinking_º

(Me Talking)

Nothing more to get in our way so let the story begin!

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learned to manipulate the mana are the said magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura **

**Chapter 5:** _Sakura and the Possession_

**Part 1:**_ One Month Later_

July 2nd, Monday. 5:00 pm. One month after the capture of The Sword and The Shield.

Syaoran's study.

**Syaoran's P.o.V.**

I wrote the lasts words on the piece of paper on my desk and read it to see if I hadn't forgotten anything. There weren't much good news on this letter, but it would still be better than when I told my family that Sakura would be the future mistress of the card. That time I had been actually afraid of sending the letter. To my surprise, my mother sent a letter back sending hers and the family's congratulations to Sakura. I was still confused about that, but I wouldn't complain if that's what they wanted.

'_Dear mother and sisters_

_I'm sorry to say that in the last week we have only caught one Clow card. And only because I got another of those mysterious phone calls. It's the fourth time this has happened already, but this man doesn't leave any trace for us to follow! He only calls from public phones so it's hopeless to try and trace him. Kinomoto-san seems to be getting more powerful everyday. I don't know what Kerberos is doing to train her, but its showing results. Other than that not much has happened, my grades are good in school, except for Japanese language, but I'm getting better..._'

There was something missing in it, but it was something I had intentionally left out of my last five letters too. I still hadn't told them about the spell. I'm not sure why I didn't want to tell them. There was nothing wrong with a spell that made some kind of link between me and Sakura. I just didn't want her, or my sisters, to get the wrong idea. I didn't really have any proof that the spell was related to Sakura after all. But I didn't feel anything else wrong with me.

Except for him. Maybe he was related to the spell in some way.

I had nearly forgotten about him after a whole month of not seeing any trace of him, but the week before, he and Sakura's brother went to Tomoeda Elementary to share lunch with her. Just like the day that I met him and the day on the post office I felt myself getting tense in his presence. Maybe it was even worse this time.

He was the least of my problems though. I barely ever saw him so I didn't have to worry about that yet. My main worry was Sakura. Things hadn't change much, I still felt weird around her. There were several occasions in which I had felt that desperate urge to protect her again. Therefore, I was still trying my best to avoid her. In fact I only saw her at school or when a Clow card appeared.

I thought at first that in given time the caster of this spell would show himself, and luckily be the same person that'd been calling us to pinpoint Clow Cards' locations. After a month with no sign of anything, I was already giving up.

Satisfied with what I had written I put the letter in an envelope and went to rest in my bed. I would deliver the letter to the post office tomorrow. Soccer practice had left me particularly tired that day. I slept through the rest of the day and woke up only in the next morning.

**End of Syaoran's P.o.V.**

* * *

**Sakura's P.o.V.**

It had been over a month since I became a Card captor. For the first time since that day when it all started, I was having a mysterious dream, and it was very similar to the first one. There were lots of Clow cards flying around me. Kero-chan was beside me too. We were all scared of something. º_Maybe it's that woman with the long red hair._° I thought, but soon discarded that idea when I noticed that her aura was very warm and pleasant. What else could it be then? I looked around me to see if there was anything else that could be causing this feeling.

There he was, protecting me from whatever was the menace. Syaoran was standing in front of me, in his usual green robe. He was full of bruises and cuts and there were also some cards flying around him. And his aura... That was his real aura, I was sure of it. Unlike the aura I had felt in the past month, this aura fitted him, it felt right.

I had asked Kero about Syaoran's aura on several occasions, but he avoided the subject no matter how much I insisted. I was sure they were hiding something from me. Even so, asking Syaoran was impossible. Since the day we caught the Sword and the Shield, he had somewhat changed. I felt like he pretty much ignored my existence when we were not after a Clow card. He still greeted me every morning and answered me when I spoke to him, but it was all so empty.

The Syaoran in my dream felt completely different. When he was around I felt safe. Not just because I knew that he could protect me, but in my dream, I knew that he wanted to. Was it really something that was bound to happen like Kero-chan had said?

"WAKE UP!"

**End of Sakura's P.o.V.**

"Ouch!"

Sakura fell out of her bed at the shout that had obviously come from Touya, with her face flat on the floor. "Can't you wake up with a normal call like any other normal girl would?"

Sakura clenched her fist, still lying on the floor. "I have an alarm clock for that!" She said, pushing her face away from the little, round carpet with her open hand.

Touya smirked. "Your alarm clock was set for fifteen minutes ago, and if my ears are still working fine, it ringed properly." He said. "But it was obviously not enough to wake up the monster."

Sakura looked at her alarm clock. She gasped when she saw that Touya was in fact telling the truth.

"Hoe! That means I'm going to be late again." She quickly pushed Touya out of the room, finding no resistance from the boy. "I have to hurry!" After slamming the door shut she started to prepare herself at an amazing speed.

Kero, who was acting as a doll until now, flew towards Sakura. "How come you didn't wake up with that loud alarm clock?" He asked very annoyed. "You bought it just because your old one wasn't waking you up, but even so it's still not enough." He said dodging the pajamas that Sakura was throwing off.

"You mean you woke up?" Sakura asked.

"Of course I did!" The guardian answered blatantly.

Sakura frowned at him. "Then why didn't you wake me up?"

"I tried to, but it was just a waste of time."

**ººººFLASHBACKºººº**

Kero was sleeping inside a large drawer in Sakura's desk. His sleep was interrupted however with loud ringing of Sakura's new alarm clock. He jumped up startled and his head hit the drawer above him. "Ouch!" He cried in pain but then closed his mouth instantly. After slowly opening the drawer to make sure nobody had come to check on his yelp, he made his way to a still sleeping Sakura.

"Sakura, wake up." He said poking her cheek. But got no response. "Sakura. Wake up, you're gonna be late for school." He slapped her face a bit, but there was still no response. "Wake up!" He tried to pull her eyelid open. Sakura mumbled something that he couldn't understand and punched him, sending the little creature to the other side of the room.

**ººººEND OF FLASHBACKºººº**

"...and after you punched me for the third time I gave up. A few minutes later your brother came in." Sakura sweat dropped. "I know it's been exhausting for you to go after the Clow cards, especially now you've captured so many strong cards like The Freeze, The Big and The Wood, but you still have to get much better if you want to sustain all the Clow cards someday. If you're getting this tired now..."

Sakura sighed. Kero was always saying things like that. She couldn't say that he wasn't being a great help when it came to learning to control her powers, but he could remind her a little less often how much work she still had ahead. "I know." She said while running a comb through her hair. "But what can I do about it?"

"You have to train more. I can't help you much cause I still haven't got my powers back, but there are plenty of ways to do it without me." He said. "If only the brat weren't so stubborn you'd have a practicing partner."

Upon the mention of Syaoran, Sakura's dream popped back into her head. "Oh yeah. Remember the dream I had on the day you appeared?" She said. "This night I had that same dream again."

"You mean the premonition dream?" Kero asked curiously.

Sakura nodded. "Yes, but this time I could see things much clearer. Li-kun was very hurt and the cards were all around us, it looked as if we were fighting something, but it wasn't a Clow card. You were there with us too, and... There was a woman." Kero's expression was very serious by now. He was taking each word that Sakura said. Upon the mention of the woman his look turned to one of surprise.

"A woman?" He asked raising a brow.

"She had long red hairs and was holding something in her hand." Sakura tried to remember the object but the image escaped her memory. "I don't know what it was."

"Long, red hair..." He thought for a couple of seconds. "Try to forget this for now." Sakura sighed, that's what Kero always said when she asked him something. "If it really is a premonition we can just wait for it to happen. Right now we should..."

"Focus on the cards." Sakura said, completing the sentence she had heard too many times. "I know that."

* * *

Later that morning, at Tomoeda Elementary. 

Sakura sighed in relief as she entered the classroom, she had arrived just in time.

"Hi, Tomoyo-chan." She greeted her best friend before taking her seat and a deep breath to calm her body down from all the rush she'd been in.

"Sakura-chan, I finished editing the tape from The Freeze card!" Tomoyo said excited. "You have to see it. I think it was your coolest capture so far." She handed Sakura a VHS.

Sakura giggled at Tomoyo's excitement. Ever since Tomoyo had given her that little cellphone she had been able to video tape nearly all the card's Sakura captured. Thankfully, only in a few cases there was time for her to put an outfit made by Tomoyo. Sakura felt really embarrassed in those garments. With a few exceptions she thought cute and a bit less flashy, she'd never put anything like those vests if it didn't make Tomoyo so happy.

"I'll watch it today." Sakura said, taking the tape. "I'm sure Kero-chan is going to love it."

They both giggled. Kero indeed loved to see himself in action. He was overwhelmed by his 'coolness'.

Terada entered the classroom. "Good morning, everybody." He said.

"Good morning, Terada-sensei." The children choir greeted back.

Sakura noticed a strange absence from the boyish voice behind her. "Hoe? Where's Li-kun?" She said looking at the empty desk where Syaoran's usually sat.

"I don't know." Tomoyo answered. "Do you think he found a Clow card?"

Sakura shook her head. "I don't think so. I can't feel any Clow card auras, and ever since I learned to feet auras I've felt every card that showed up."

"Kinomoto-san, Daidouji-san. Pay attention please"

* * *

Meanwhile, Syaoran was lying on his bed, with a thermometer in his mouth and a piece of cloth full of ice on his forehead. He had woken up with a very high fever. 

Wei was sitting by his side, waiting to take the thermometer back. "I don't know what could have caused this. You've always had such a fine health." He pointed out, feeling very concerned and responsible for the boy.

Syaoran didn't answer. He was breathing heavily and trying to avoid any waste of air. Though he did feel terrible apart from the fever. He didn't like depending so much on Wei. It made him feel like a little kid, which he knew many people would say he was, but he hated it.

Wei took the thermometer from the boy's mouth. "Let's see here." He looked at the marker. "Oh my! 40 degrees!" He put the thermometer on the cupboard and stood up. "I'll go get some more ice, and call a doctor."

"Wait, Wei-san!" Syaoran said, making a lot of effort for each word he spoke. "Could you take the letter..." He paused to catch some air. "I wrote to my mother... to the post office?" He reached out for his cupboard, where he had left the letter last night. He searched a bit with his hand but couldn't find it. "Huh? Where is it?"

"Don't worry Li-san, you probably left it lying somewhere. I'll look for it." Wei said before leaving the room.

Syaoran watched as Wei left, and despite the relief of being left alone, he was a bit concerned for his health too. He was panting and sweating, even though he felt extremely cold. Not only that, but he felt as if his bed was spinning and trying to throw him off, and his head was hurting bad.

Before Wei came back he had already lost consciousness.

* * *

Later, after classes had ended, Sakura and Tomoyo were standing at the school gates, and a limo was parked near the sidewalk. 

"So Sakura-chan, are you going to visit Li-kun today? After your cheerleading practice I mean." Tomoyo asked.

Sakura was caught off guard by that question. The week before, Tomoyo told her she had seen Syaoran get embarrassed around Yukito again and was once again stuck with the idea that Sakura should talk to the boy about it. Sakura wasn't very fond of the idea, but she knew Tomoyo would corner her into doing that sooner or later.

"Visit him? Why would I do that?" She asked faking obliviousness.

"You know why." Tomoyo said smiling sweetly. "The sooner you do it the sooner you two will stop acting like strangers around each other. I'm sure of that." She said.

Sakura didn't find any arguments to protest. As always, Tomoyo knew exactly what was going through her mind. º_And maybe she's right after all. Maybe that's why he always acts so weird._º

"So, will you go?" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura sighed in defeat. "Alright, I'll try and talk to him."

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow then Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said.

"Bye." Sakura said as Tomoyo entered the Limo.

* * *

"Li's residence. May I help you?" Came the voice on the speaker. 

"It's me, Kinomoto Sakura." Sakura said looking up to the little camera above the speaker and waving her hand.

She heard a muffled 'What?!' and then a sound that resembled a heavy object hitting the floor coming from the speaker.

"Li-san, are you... I'm sorry, please come up Kinomoto-san." Wei said. A clicking sound was heard and Sakura was left staring at the speaker in confusion.

There was another clicking sound and the gatekeeper's voice was heard through the speaker. "Alright, little girl. Go right ahead." He said. Sakura bowed to the man before walking down the path that led to the building.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the apartment. 

Syaoran was still lying on his bed, under piles of covers and looking just a little better than he did that morning. The fact that Sakura had chose to visit him wasn't helping him feel much better though.

"So... how long was I out?" He asked Wei.

"The whole day. It's a quarter to five already." Wei answered.

Syaoran was very surprised by the answer. He looked through his window and saw that the sun was indeed going down already. Returning his head to the normal position he took a deep breath. "So, did you send my letter?"

Wei shook his head. "I'm sorry, I couldn't find it anywhere."

Syaoran sighed. "That's OK, I'll write another one."

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Wei said, leaving the room.

Syaoran couldn't see Wei anymore, but he could clearly hear the door being opened and the conversation that ensued. "It's a pleasure to have you here again, Kinomoto-san." Wei said.

"It's nice to see you again too, Wei-san." He heard Sakura answer.

"Please come in." Some footsteps could be heard, and after a short moment of silence Wei spoke again. "If you're looking for Li-san, he's in his room." He said. "I'm afraid he won't be able to talk much though. He has a very high fever and is not feeling well."

"Hoe? That's terrible!" Sakura said, as the sound of footsteps got louder.

"I'm sure he will be very happy that you have come to visit him. Don't let his cranky face fool you." Syaoran heard Wei whisper to Sakura. He wished he hadn't though, but he was pretty sure that Wei meant for him to hear it.

Finally Sakura entered his room. They looked at each other for a split second and then looked away. Syaoran was relieved to see that Sakura was feeling uncomfortable too.

"I'm going to prepare something to drink." Wei said, leaving the room.

Sakura walked slowly to the chair beside Syaoran's bed and took a seat. After staring at her own feet for a while she felt that she should break the silence. "Hi Li-kun, are you feeling OK?" She asked. It was only then that she realized how bad the idea of going along with Tomoyo was.

Syaoran was staring at the ceiling, trying to focus as much as he could on anything besides the conversation. "I'm fine." He said absent mindedly. "Uh... Why did you..."

"Oh!" Sakura jumped out of the chair. "I came to bring you today's homework! Just that! Nothing else!" She said rather quickly. She opened her backpack and took a notebook out of it. "Here, you can give it back to me tomorrow." She said.

"Thanks." Syaoran said reaching out for the notebook.

He was about to touch the object when a dizzy feeling crept up in the back of his head. For a second his vision went blurry and he felt extremely light. Sakura let go of the notebook when she thought Syaoran had a grasp on it, but the notebook slipped past his fingers and fell on the floor.

Syaoran stared blankly at the object, with a confused look. "I'm sorry." He said, trying to reach out for the notebook, but nearly falling off his bed in the process.

Sakura jumped to help Syaoran from hitting the floor. "Li-kun, you're really bad aren't you?" She said, looking at the boy with concerned eyes.

Syaoran's eyes were still blank, expressionless. He put a hand to his head, frowning, leading Sakura to think that he had a headache.

After breathing deeply a couple of times, he removed his hand, looking much calmer. He looked at Sakura with an empty expression, his eyes looking almost dead. "Kinomoto, could you please leave now?" He said, resting his head back in the pillow.

"But you..."

"Please!" He said sternly.

"Alright." Sakura said meekly. She turned around to leave. "Bye."

It was only when Sakura was out of sight that Syaoran closed his eyes and fell into unconsciousness again.

* * *

"I'm home!" Sakura said as she entered her house. 

"You're late." Touya greeted her. "Monster." He said, smirking, ready for their trademark brother-sister teasing.

Sakura walked past Touya, looking down. "I'm not in the mood for that." She said.

Touya looked at her with concern. "What happened?"

She ignored him and went straight upstairs. Touya stared at her back in disbelief. º_What the..._º

His attention was drawn away from Sakura when he felt a human aura standing right behind him. A familiar one.

"Excuse me. I think I can explain what's going on."

"It's about time." Touya said, turning around to face the source of the voice.

"Exactly."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:**_ Done. Not much to say here, except that if you__'re used to Fahrenheit degrees, don't be scared at Syaoran's temperature. They are in Celsius which is the conventional unit for Japan (and most of the world for that matter.). Just to satisfy your curiosity, I believe that 40ºC is the equivalent of 104ºF, but I' m no temperature expert, so correct me if I'm wrong please._

_Anyway, bye. I'll have a new chapter next week._


	12. Sakura and the Possession, Part 2

Howdy!

**A/N:** _Well, what can I say? _

_Not much really... I mean... I guess I'll just thank you guys like I usually do and go to the disclaimer. _

**Dislaimer: Just the other day, this old lady came up to me and said: "Aren't you that guy that wrote that show with that girl and all those cards in it?" I gently smiled to her and said. "No. That's CLAMP. They wrote CCS and they own it! So get out of here you old hag before I call the cops and have you arrested for slander. Come on, move along!" And then, as she ran away from me, I took out my trusty gun and shot her leg with a rubber bullet so she'd remember that day and never say anything so stupid again. GET IT?**

_There you go. And now..._

**Thing to know:**

**Being on 'Duty'** (Reminds me of a certain Chandler Bing):_ On Japanese schools, students have to take turns in helping with basic chores like cleaning up the classroom before classes. (Which means they have to get to school early.) That's why, on CCS, sometimes Sakura meets with someone in school before everyone else arrives. If you paid attention you would have noticed that they're always cleaning up the classroom while they talk. _

_And now... _

**The Plot Thickens:** _It had become quite clear to Sakura that she and her friends weren't the only people in Tomoeda who knew about the Clow cards. Not only had they been receiving mysterious phone calls pinpointing the location of many cards, but Syaoran had recently found out that he was under the influence of a spell which he suspected was causing him to behave in a weird manner around Sakura and Yukito. He decided to keep that a secret, known only to him and Kero. He even omitted it in the letters he wrote to his family. However, Sakura had noticed Syaoran's weird behavior and, when having a premonition dream similar to the one she had shortly before meeting the boy, was reminded once again that his aura was different from the one she saw in the dream. When Syaoran missed school because of a high fever, she was convinced by Tomoyo to talk to him about Yukito, because they believed that was the cause of his strange behavior around Sakura. However, Syaoran rudely told her to go away. _

_And now... _

"Character Talking"

º_Character Thinking_º

(Me Talking)

_And Now... _

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learned to manipulate the mana are the said magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura **

**Chapter 5:** _Sakura and the Possession_

**Part 2:**_ Just Another Day_

July 2nd, Monday. One month after the capture of The Sword and The Shield.

Sakura slept peacefully on her bed. Not a care in the world.

Touya opened the door to the room and looked at the surroundings. He noticed Kero in another pathetic attempt to look lifeless, and the alarm clock that had ringed loudly fifteen minutes ago.

"It's the third time already." He sighed deeply. "This can get really boring." He mumbled to himself.

He watched Kero's efforts to look like a doll for awhile to amuse himself. º_It probably won't matter if I'm late for school anyway._º He thought.

When he finally got tired of staring at Kero he decided to try and wake Sakura up.

"Sakura, wake up." He said gently, but there was no response. "Why do I even try?" He muttered under his breath. Taking a big load of air, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"WAKE UP!"

"Ouch!"

Sakura fell out of her bed at the shout, with her face flat on the floor. "It's worse than I thought." Touya grumbled. "I just don't understand why you don't ever wake up unless I shout out something." He complained.

Sakura clenched her fist, still lying on the floor. "I have an alarm clock for that!" She said, pushing her face away from the little, round carpet with her open hand.

Touya pointed at her clock. "It ringed fifteen minutes ago." And with that he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Sakura looked at her alarm clock. She gasped when she saw that Touya was in fact telling the truth.

"Hoe! That means I'm going to be late again." She jumped out of the floor and ran towards her dresser. "I have to hurry!" She started to prepare herself at an amazing speed.

Kero, who was acting as a doll until now, flew towards Sakura. "How come you didn't wake up with that loud alarm clock?" He asked very annoyed. "You bought it just because your old one wasn't waking you up, but even so it's still not enough." He said dodging the pajamas that Sakura was throwing off.

"You mean you woke up?" Sakura asked annoyed.

"Of course I did!" The guardian answered blatantly.

Sakura frowned at him. "Then why didn't you wake me up?"

"I tried to, but it was a waste of time."

**ººººFLASHBACKºººº **

Kero was sleeping inside a large drawer in Sakura's desk. His sleep was interrupted however with loud ringing of Sakura's new alarm clock. He jumped up startled and his head hit the drawer above him. "Ouch!" He cried in pain but then closed his mouth instantly. After slowly opening the drawer to make sure nobody had come to check on his yelp, he made his way to a still sleeping Sakura.

"Sakura, wake up." He said poking her cheek. But got no response. "Sakura. Wake up, you're gonna be late for school." He slapped her face a bit, but there was still no response. "Wake up!" He tried to pull her eyelid open. Sakura mumbled something that he couldn't understand and punched him, sending the little creature to the other side of the room.

**ºººº END OF FLASHBACKºººº **

As Kero told his story Sakura seemed to be entering some sort of trance. She was staring at Kero as if he was saying something that didn't make any sense. Each word that Kero said made a weird feeling creep up in her mind.

Kero kept talking. "...and after you..."

"After I punched you for the third time you gave up." She said as if that was the answer to a hard puzzle she had just solved. "That's when oniichan came in."

Kero stared at her in disbelief. "You were awake!" He shouted.

"Shhh!" Sakura put her finger to her mouth in a silencing motion. "Don't speak so loud!" She said in whispers. "I was still sleeping. I just kinda had the feeling you'd say that. Like a déjà vu."

"Déjà vus don't see the future." Kero said suspiciously.

"Lucky guess then." She said. "I have to go now Kero-chan. See ya."

* * *

Meanwhile, at Syaoran's apartment. 

Wei walked into Syaoran's room slowly. "Syaoran-sama, wake up." He called out. "You're going to be late for school." Syaoran didn't answer. "Syaoran-sama?" Wei walked up to the boy's bed and was met with a terrifying scene.

Syaoran was pale. His eyes were looking in no particular direction, his breathing was slow and faint and he was sweating like a pig.

"Syaoran-sama!" Wei rushed to the boy's side. After a brief moment of panic he gathered himself examining Syaoran's face and running as fast as he could to the phone on the hallway after being sure that he wasn't mistaken. He quickly dialed the emergency number. "Hello." He said, relatively calm. "I need an ambulance."

Syaoran could hear a voice talking to him, but he couldn't make out exactly what it was trying to say. He couldn't see a thing besides a white blur, and he felt extremely cold. º_What's going on with me?_º He though. º_Has my fever gotten worse?_º

Wei dialed another number. "Li-sama. It's Syaoran-sama. He is very sick." Syaoran felt his senses slowly returning to him, he could now understand Wei's words coming from the hallway. "He was in perfectly good health just yesterday. I don't know what could've happened."

º_Perfectly good health?_º Syaoran thought. º_I had a terrible fever yesterday!_º

He managed, with some effort, to sit up. "Wei-san." He called out as loudly as he could, which wasn't much.

Wei entered the room. "Syaoran-sama, you're awake."

"I'm fine." Syaoran said stubbornly. "There's no need to get a doctor or anything."

"But, Syaoran-sama, you're still pale. I think you should rest." Wei said.

"I can't skip two day's at school in a row just because of a little fever. It's bad enough that I didn't do the homework Kinomoto-san brought me." Syaoran said, shifting his position so his feet would touch the floor.

Wei looked at him with a confused face before speaking. "Syaoran-sama... what exactly do you mean?"

"What do you mean 'What do I mean'?" Syaoran asked confused by Wei's confusion.

Wei hesitated a bit before speaking. "Syaoran-sama... Kinomoto-san hasn't been in this place for nearly a month now I believe. And it's been just as long since you last skipped school."

"What?" Syaoran was feeling even more confused now. Had he imagined all that? Wei did say that his health was just fine yesterday. Maybe he was confused because of the fever.

That's when it hit him.

All the pieces fitted. The letter he'd written the day before yesterday to his family had disappeared. Wei had forgotten all about the past day's events. Even his mysterious fever fit in.

"Wei-san, what day is it?" He asked abruptly.

Wei didn't change his expression at the question. It was still an expression of pure confusion. "It's... It's Monday Syaoran-sama."

Syaoran smirked. "I got it!" He said, jumping out of his bed.

Unfortunately, he found out that jumping out of his bed was much more effort than his weakened body could handle. After seeing the room spin around him, he fell on the floor. Unconsciousness settled in.

* * *

Later that morning, at Tomoeda Elementary. 

Sakura sighed in relief as she entered the classroom. She had arrived just in time.

"Hi, Tomoyo-chan." She greeted her best friend before taking her seat and a deep breath to calm her body down from all the rush she'd been in.

"Sakura-chan, I finished editing the tape from The Freeze card!" Tomoyo said excited. "You have to see it. I think it was your coolest capture so far." She handed Sakura a VHS.

Sakura took the tape. "Hadn't you edited this already?" She asked.

"Of course not." Tomoyo said. "You captured it Saturday night. And we didn't even see each other yesterday."

Sakura nodded. "You're right. But I could swear that I showed this one to Kero-chan already."

Terada entered the classroom. "Good morning, everybody." He said.

"Good morning Terada-sensei." The children choir greeted back.

Sakura noticed a strange absence from the boyish voice behind her. "Hoe? Where's Li-kun?" She said looking at the empty desk where Syaoran usually sat. While looking back she had a feeling that the same scene had happened before. º_D__é__j__à__ vu again._º She thought.

"I don't know." Tomoyo answered. "Do you think he found a Clow card?"

Sakura shook her head. "No. I think he's sick." She said.

"Kinomoto-san, Daidouji-san. Pay attention please!"

* * *

The tall and the short mysterious figures once again walked down a desert street of Tomoeda, this time with Touya beside them. They were both wearing cloaks that concealed their faces. 

"Are you sure this isn't going to be the last time?" Touya asked. "I don't want to miss a whole day at school."

"Don't worry." The tall one said. "We believe there's going to be another day yet. But I'm still surprised you could notice it all so easily."

"Forge about that. And what about the brat? His aura is fading away fast." Touya said.

The short one chuckled. "Nice to know that you hold some compassion for him." He said. "I told you already, I want to push them to their limits. It won't do any good if I just save them at the slightest sight of danger."

"It's showing results." The Tall one complemented. "Between fighting back against your spell and fighting against the Clow cards, he is getting much more powerful. Sakura's control over her powers is getting much better too."

"Right." Touya said. "But if his life is on the line you'll intervene right?"

"Yes, he's in good hands."

* * *

Later, after classes had ended, Sakura and Tomoyo were standing at the school gates, and a limo was parked near the sidewalk. 

"So Sakura-chan, are you going to visit Li-kun today? After your cheerleading practice I mean." Tomoyo asked.

Sakura blinked twice in some sort of awe. "Déjá vu!" She said.

"What?" Tomoyo asked confused.

"It's already the ninth or tenth déjà vu I've had today." She said. "It's starting to get creepy."

"Don't worry about that Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said smiling. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Oh..." Sakura sighed feeling defeated. "Fine, I'll go." She said. º_It's a lost battle already._º She thought.

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow then Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said. She turned around and started walking away.

Sakura felt a hint of panic when she thought of visiting Syaoran. "Wait!" She said, reaching out for Tomoyo before she got inside her limo. "Would you mind going with me?" She asked.

Tomoyo looked at Sakura's eyes and noticed that she was somewhat scared. She smiled reassuringly at her friend and nodded. "I guess I get to watch your cheerleading practice while I wait for you then."

* * *

"Li's residence. May I help you?" Came the voice on the speaker. 

"It's us, Kinomoto Sakura and Daidouji Tomoyo." Sakura said looking up to the little camera above the speaker and waving her hand.

"Ah, we were expecting you Kinomoto-san. Please come up." Wei said. A clicking sound was heard and Sakura was left staring at the speaker in confusion.

"Expecting me?" She asked confused to the mute speaker.

There was another clicking sound and the gatekeeper's voice was heard through the speaker. "Alright girls. Go right ahead." He said. Sakura and Tomoyo bowed to the man before walking down the path that led to the building.

"Do you think they knew we were coming?" Tomoyo asked Sakura as they entered the elevator.

Sakura was as confused as Tomoyo, but she couldn't help but thinking that Tomoyo was right. "I think so." She said.

After a ride up, the elevator doors opened. There, at the door that led inside Syaoran's apartment, was Wei, with a welcoming smile on his face. "Please come in, I have the tea ready."

The girls walked in and noticed that, in fact, there was a tray with two cups and a fancy tea kettle on it, resting on a coffee table between two couches. "Hoe? You really were expecting us." Sakura said in awe.

Wei nodded. "I'll explain in a moment. Right now, I'll get another cup for Daidouji-san." He said. "Please, make yourselves comfortable."

A few minutes later they were all drinking tea, but Syaoran was nowhere to be seen.

After taking a sip of his cup Wei took a deep breath and his warm smile faded a bit. "Kinomoto-san..." Sakura looked up from her cup. "Syaoran-sama is very sick."

Sakura almost said that she already knew that, but was stopped by the fact that she didn't actually know it. She was almost sure that she did though.

"Is he alright?" She asked instead.

"He's a bit better now, but I believe it won't be for long." He said. "He's resting back at his room and we shouldn't disturb him for now. It wouldn't do him any good."

"But what is happening then?" Tomoyo asked.

"This morning he woke up feeling ill, and soon fell unconscious again." Wei continued. "It was just an hour ago when he woke up again." He paused for a while, unintentionally creating a mood of suspense. "When he was finally able to talk again, he told me that he was possessed by a Clow card and that was what was making him so sick."

Sakura and Tomoyo gasped. "He is possessed?" Sakura asked instinctively, as if the answer to the question could suddenly change.

Wei nodded. "I'm afraid so." He said. "And it's one of the most powerful cards. The Time. This makes things much more complicated."

"How long has it been possessing him?" Tomoyo asked.

Wei sighed. "That's the complicated part. From our point of view it seems as if it started today, but what is really happening is that the card is using its powers to repeat the same day over and over again." He said. "Only the card and Syaoran-sama can retain their memories from the repeated day, so from their point of view, it's been three days already."

Sakura understood perfectly what Wei meant. "That explains all of my déjà vus. We've been living the same day over and over."

Wei nodded. "But there's no way of telling cause we can't remember a thing from the past day. The past repeat of the day that is."

"But Sakura-chan remembered." Tomoyo pointed out. "At least a few things. Like my tape."

Sakura nodded. "That's right."

"That's probably because of your magic powers." Wei said. "The Time's magic can't work its full effect on you."

They sat in silence for a minute then, finishing their cups of tea.

After taking his last sip, Sakura brought the subject back. "How can we help him then?"

"Syaoran-sama asked me to tell you to bring Kerberos here." Wei said. "He's the one with the most knowledge about the cards."

Sakura nodded. "I'll go get him right now." She put on a confident smile and stood up. "I'll be back before you know it."

"There's a problem about that though." Wei said.

Sakura lost her confident composure. "What?"

"If the card knows that we intend to capture it, it will just start the day over again." He said.

"Oh." Sakura felt defeated. If what Wei had just said was true, it would be impossible to lock the card. "But what can we do then? We can't leave Li-kun like that."

Wei served more tea to the cups. "There's one way." He said. "The magic of the Time is very powerful, and it's very unlikely that it can cast it twice in a row." He continued. "If you came here as soon as you woke up, the card would probably be helpless." He said.

"But I won't remember any of this when I wake up tomorrow... I mean... Today. Hoe... This is too confusing."

Wei sighed. "There isn't any other choice. Syaoran-sama is getting weaker each time that the day repeats itself."

Sakura felt despaired. She knew what would happen if Syaoran had all of his energy drained by the card. It would mean the end for him. After all, the card was like a mana parasite, sucking Syaoran's life force. Yet, it was impossible to capture the card without remembering it existed. Could Syaoran hang on another day? Could she really let the day start over and risk not being able to save Syaoran?

She relaxed a bit when she felt Tomoyo's hand on her shoulder.

Tomoyo was smiling at her. "You can remember Sakura-chan. You remembered a lot of things this time haven't you? That's why you had all those déjà vus." She said. Then she leaned forward and whispered something in Sakura's ears. "Plus, he's saved your life already. You owe him this don't you? I know you would never let a friend down."

Sakura smiled. Tomoyo made everything sound so much easier. She started to calm down. Maybe there would be another way around it. She just had to go to Kero and talk to him. Surely there would be some method for remembering all those things.

"Alright, I'll try my..." But she never finished that sentence.

* * *

Morning, Sakura's house. 

Touya walked into his sister's room, knowing exactly what to expect. º_I can't believe it's already the fourth time._º He thought.

He sighed. "Oh well, no use trying to be gentle... WAKE UP!"

"Ouch!"

Sakura fell out of her bed, turning her body just in time to save herself from hitting the floor with her face.

"Your alarm clock ringed fifteen minutes ago, you're gonna be late. Again." Touya said very quickly before leaving the room.

"Hoe?" Sakura looked around herself. She had the feeling that she was forgetting something, when is a weird feeling to have as soon as you wake up.

Sakura looked at her alarm clock, gasping when she saw that Touya was in fact telling the truth.

"Hoe! That means I'm going to be late again." She jumped out of the floor and ran towards her dresser. "I have to hurry!" She started to prepare herself at an amazing speed.

Kero, who was acting like a doll until now, flew towards Sakura. "How come you didn't wake up with that loud alarm clock?" He asked very annoyed. "You bought it just because your old one wasn't waking you up, but even so it's still not enough." He said dodging the pajamas that Sakura was throwing off.

Sakura heard Kero's words, and then answered like an actor saying a line with no emotion at all. "You mean you woke up?" She asked, knowing exactly what the guardian was going to answer.

"Of course I did!" The guardian answered blatantly.

"Then why didn't you wake me up?" She asked, not really sounding annoyed.

"I tried to, but it was just a waste of time."

Upon hearing that Sakura felt a tingling sensation in the back of her head. "Time..."

Kero noticed Sakura's strange reaction. "What's the matter?"

Sakura shook her head. "It's nothing. Never mind. I just had a déjà vu."

"Oh... Anyway I was sleeping peacefully in my drawer, when..." Kero started to tell his story, but Sakura paid little attention. She somehow felt like she knew what he was going to say. Half of her knew she was hearing that for the first time, but it seemed as if some other part of her mind knew the whole story already.

º_Why won__'__t this d__é__j__à__ vu feeling go away?__º_She thought.

"And after I punched you for the third time... Are you listening to me?" The guardian inquired. He seemed insulted by Sakura's clearly absent mind.

"I'm sorry Kero-chan... It's just..." Sakura couldn't really find anything to say. Her mind was constantly bothering her about something.

Kero sighed. "Fine. I don't care. Go to school or you'll be late. Have you seen what time it is already?"

º_Time..._º That word once again made Sakura feel particularly strange.

Suddenly it all came back to her. "Li-kun!" She shouted out of the blue.

"What?" Kero asked confused.

Sakura started to put on her uniform. "Kero-chan, we have to go to see Li-kun immediately!" She said.

Kero raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Quick Kero-chan, there's no time to explain!" She shoved Kero inside her backpack and closed the zipper.

"Wait! What's going on?" Kero protested. His voice muffled.

Sakura put the backpack around her shoulders. "I'll explain it on the way." She said.

* * *

Syaoran's apartment, a while later. 

Wei walked into Syaoran's room slowly. "Syaoran-sama, wake up." He called out. "You're going to be late for school." Syaoran didn't answer. "Syaoran-sama?" Wei walked up to the boy's bed and was met with a terrifying scene.

Syaoran was pale. His eyes were looking in no particular direction, his breathing was slow and faint and he was sweating like a pig.

"Syaoran-sama!" Wei rushed to the boy's side. After a brief moment of panic he gathered himself examining Syaoran's face and running as fast as he could to the phone on the hallway after being sure that he wasn't mistaken.

Before he could dial any number he heard the interphone ring.

"The interphone? Who could it be at such an early hour?" He walked to the device and pressed a button. On a tiny screen, the image of Sakura could be seen. "Li's residence. May I help you?"

"It's Kinomoto Sakura. Wei-san, I really need to see to Li-kun!" The girl said, not looking at the camera, but to the speaker instead. "It's urgent!"

"Kinomoto-san... I'm afraid you've chosen a bad time to visit. Syaoran-sama is very sick this morning." He said in a sad tone. "I'm really sorry, but I think it would be best if you returned latter."

"I know he's sick. That's why I came. It's a Clow card." Sakura answered with hurry. "Please, don't do anything until I'm there!"

Wei was surprised by those words, but he thought it would be wise to let the girl up and let her explain herself. If it was a Clow card, then there wasn't much a doctor could do.

"I see... Please come up then." He said, and then turned of the interphone.

A couple of minutes later he was letting Sakura into the apartment.

"Please, have a sit." He said, pointing to the couch. Sakura sat down and took a deep breath to calm her body down from all the rush she'd been in. "Do you know what's happened to Syaoran-sama then?" Wei asked impatiently. "I'm sorry for being so straightforward, but I've never seen him this bad before."

"It's okay." Sakura said. "But I think Kero-chan can explain it better than me."

She took her backpack and zipped it open. Kero flew out, not as cheerful as his usual self.

"Hey there." He said waving to Wei.

"Kerberos-san! What..." He was interrupted by Kero in the middle of his question.

"The brat's in serious trouble." He said. "There's no time to waste."

And so he explained to Wei the entire situation in a much summed up way.

Wei looked down for a moment, trying to think. "That's... amazing. We've been living the same day over and over and we can't even remember."

"The problem here is..." Kero continued. "Unlike The Sword and The Shield, The Time possesses the body directly instead of using an object. That means that the card's soul is actually inside his body."

"You mean..."

"That's right, we have only two choices." The guardian said. "Either the card comes out of its own free will or the brat manages to take it out with his own powers." He explained. "There's no other way to get the card out without harming him."

"But Li-kun is already too weak to fight back against the card." Sakura said. She knew what she was talking about cause Kero had already told her all that on the way to the Syaoran's place.

"So you need to talk to the card right?" Wei asked.

Kero nodded. "I think that's the only way to make it come out." He said.

Wei let out a thoughtful sigh. "Please, follow me." He said.

They all walked inside Syaoran's room.

Syaoran was still lying there, in the same condition. Sakura was shocked to see him in that state. The last time she had seen him, he had nothing but a fever, but now, if it weren't for his chest timidly moving up and down, one could easily mistake him for long gone.

"He must be suffering a lot." Kero said. "The card sucked too much mana out of him. If we had been just a few more hours late..."

"How is he going to get all his mana back?" Sakura asked, feeling herself get a little disturbed by the sight before her. The sweat already covered all of her hands much like it covered Syaoran's whole body. "I mean... Even if we capture the card, he's lost so much already."

"He'll just need a lot of rest." Kero answered. "The energy will come from the Sun and the Moon naturally."

Wei walked to Syaoran's side. "Hang in there Syaoran-sama, they'll get this card out of you." He said, but Syaoran didn't show any signs of hearing him.

Kero flew to his side too. "OK, let's see what we can do." He said, sitting on Syaoran's chest.

Sakura and Wei watched as Kero closed his eyes and focused. Sakura felt a faint aura coming from the guardian, which he had assured her in the past, would get much more powerful when she had caught all the sun cards.

Sakura felt a new aura emerging from within Syaoran's, almost as if it had been hiding behind the boy all the time. It was clearly the aura of a Clow card.

Kero's eyes snapped open. He jumped back, stopping in the air just beside Wei.

Syaoran slowly opened his eyes, but Sakura noticed that they had no life in them. Nothing but two white globes with dull brown irises. He sat up on the bed and started to speak with a voice that, though belonging to himself, had a tone that would instantly denounce to anyone that it wasn't him speaking actually.

"What do you..." He paused when he noticed Kero. "Kerberos?" He smirked. "I'm sorry. Your aura is so weak I couldn't even recognize you."

Kero smirked too. "Of course it is. With the cards spread all around the place, my powers are considerably shortened."

"I see." Syaoran answered. "That's why you want to get us back together so badly." He said, sounding disappointed. "Even knowing that we need a powerful master to survive."

"No, that's not it." Kero said. "This girl here..." He pointed to Sakura. "...is the girl who opened the seal or, according to Clow, your future mistress."

Syaoran couldn't hide his surprise. He looked at Sakura, and for the seconds their eyes met, she felt a chill run down her spine. That was definitely not Syaoran.

"I'm surprised." He said. "Such a young girl." He smiled gently at Sakura, surprising her. It was the kind of smile a grandfather gives to his grandson. "If had known earlier, this boy wouldn't have had to go through this. I'd have just taken you as my master." He said surprising everyone else in the room. "And here was I trying to drive you away. Please forgive me."

"It's... It's okay." Sakura hesitatingly answere. She wondered if the smile was fake. The card had been possessing Syaoran after all, but at that moment, all the coldness she had felt before looked like an illusion from the past. º_Maybe I imagined it._º She wondered.

Kero smiled. "Wow! That was very reasonable of you. Last time I had the chance to talk with one of you it nearly got me killed saying this." He said. "That means you'll join us?"

Syaoran nodded. "Please tell this boy I'm sorry. I waited a whole month without doing anything to anybody, but if I waited any longer I'd disappear." He said. "I intended to leave his body before anything too bad happened to him, but I feared for my existence too."

Sakura was stupefied. The card's personality wasn't anything like the cards they had captured so far. It was rational and wise.

Kero grinned. "We'll tell him for sure." He said cheerfully. "If only all the cards were as smart as you, they'd all come back."

Syaoran chuckled. "They're not dumb Kerberos. They're lost." He said. "The only thing that differs me from them is that I've got the personality and the mentality of an old man. But you can't expect a card like The Fly, with a bird's instincts, to think all of his actions through. We're not all human-like, and you now that."

Kero nodded. "I guess you're right. Leave it to Clow to make such and eccentric deck."

Syaoran smiled, amused by that comment. "He was an eccentric man after all." He said. Then he faced Sakura again. "Alright, I'll leave the boy's body now, go ahead and seal me."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Release!" She shouted, summoning her staff. "But... can't you just turn back by yourself?" She asked with curiosity.

Syaoran was surprised by that question. "Don't you think I might try to trick you and escape?" He asked.

Sakura felt a little naive when the card asked that. Did she trust the card too easily? "I... didn't think about that..." She said with embarrassment.

Syaoran smiled warmheartedly. "Don't worry, you're still young. I wish I could trust people the way you do..." He said. "Too bad for both of us that we have to learn not to trust as we live."

Suddenly he let his body fall back on the bed.

Sakura, Kero and Wei watched relieved as the color crept back to Syaoran's face and his breathing returned to a normal pace. He was now sleeping peacefully, just resting.

"Look, there's the card!" Kero said.

On Syaoran's chest rested a Clow card, which hadn't been there up to that point. It had the words 'The Time' written on it and a picture of an old man in a large mantle holding an hourglass in his hands.

Sakura walked to the boy and picked up the card, careful not to disturb his sleep. "It's a moon card!" She proclaimed looking at the back of it. "With this one I've already got eleven cards, not counting the ones that Li-kun has." She said with excitement. "At this rate we'll get them all real quick."

Kero nodded. "From now on cards will probably start showing up more often, just like The Time, they'll need mana at some point."

"I'm glad that this ended well." Wei said. "I'll make sure to tell Syaoran-sama all about what happened when he wakes up."

"That oughta teach the brat a thing or two about bragging." Kero said laughing.

Sakura sweat dropped. "Kero-chan!" She said in a scolding tone.

Kero suddenly changed his expression like someone that has just remembered something. "I've just remembered something." He said. "Weren't you late for school Sakura?"

Sakura felt all the satisfaction for her accomplishment vanish.

"Hoeee!"

* * *

Touya was pedaling his way to school with Yukito beside him. 

"What happened to Sakura-chan?" Yukito asked. "Did she oversleep again?"

Touya sighed. Never had he lied so much as in those past few repeated days. "No, she went ahead this time." He said. "I think she was on duty today." He said, repeating what Sakura had told him.

"Oh, that's unusual." Yukito said smiling. "Guess it will rain today." He joked.

Touya shook his head. "I'm sure it won't." He said. "Absolutely sure."

* * *

**Syaoran's P.o.V.**

I wrote the lasts words on the piece of paper on my desk and read it to see if I hadn't forgotten anything.

'_Dear mother and sisters_

_I'm sorry to say that in the last week we have only caught two Clow cards. It would've been only one if I hadn't gotten another of those mysterious phone calls. It's the fourth time this has happened already, but this man doesn__'__t leave any trace for us to follow! He only calls from public phones so it__'__s hopeless to try and trace him. Kinomoto-san seems to be getting more powerful everyday. I don't know what Kerberos is doing to train her, but its showing results. Other than that not much has happened, my grades are good in school, except for Japanese language, but I'm getting better..._'

"I guess that's pretty much it." I said. It hadn't changed much from the one I wrote all those todays ago.

I was about to put my signature on the card when I heard a knock on the door. Obviously Wei.

"What is it Wei-san?" I asked looking at the door.

"May I come in?" He asked.

"Sure." I said, getting up from my chair. He had probably brought me something to eat. Not that I wasn't hungry, but ever since I had woken up he had been worrying about me nonstop. Asking me if I was OK or telling me that I should rest a bit more.

The door opened. There was Wei. But not only Wei.

"You have a visitor Syaoran-sama." He announced a little too late. "I'll leave you two alone." He said walking away.

"Hey Li-kun, feeling better?" Sakura said cheerfully.

I tripped on my own foot as I was making my way around the desk. I found support on the desk and helped myself from falling down, but not from looking stupid. I looked at her and gave the most indifferent look I could.

"I'm better." I said. Making my way over to her I started to say what I hoped to be the start and the end of the conversation. "I owe you for today, thank you. But that still gives you no right to come to my home uninvited."

She was obviously displeased with my remark. I didn't feel good seeing her like this, but in the past few weeks, being near her had become to me the same as not feeling good at any time, and the worst part was not knowing if it was me who felt like that or if it was the spell taking effect. It would be best if she left before I started saying things or having ideas. But she persisted.

"I'm sorry for that, really!" She said, bowing. "But... I thought you might want today's homework, so I brought it to you." She showed me her notebook, just like she had a few todays ago.

Not only was I feeling uncomfortable, but I was feeling embarrassed too after that. She was just doing me a favor. "Oh... I guess its okay then." I said, not really paying attention to the words. "Thanks." I took the notebook from her hands. "But you should have called before coming anyway." I pointed out.

"I know. I'm sorry." She put her smile back on. I avoided it pretending I was looking at the notebook.

Then, that uncomfortable silence entered. The one where people start making small talk in to pretend it isn't happening.

"I still have to save your life a couple of times more for us to be even, this one barely counted since the card didn't really mean any harm. Isn't that so?" She said jokingly. It was true that I had saved her life in some occasions, but she didn't owe it to me. She owed it to the spell.

"Yeah." I said showing a half smile just so she would know I had understood her joke.

She kept talking. º_Why won't she just go away?_º I thought, trying as hard as I could to ignore that part of me that wanted her to stay. The charmed part I called it. The parasite sometimes.

"I don't know about you, but I felt really desperate when I thought that you might die." She said. Her voice suddenly taking an insecure tone. That had caught my attention more than anything she had said in the past couple of weeks. "I never saved anyone's life before. It's a really terrible feeling to have someone's life depending on you. It sure isn't as pretty as on TV."

º_Why is she telling me this?_º I thought. "Yeah..." I said. While near Sakura it was always best to be direct and simple. I avoided using too many words in the same sentence as much as I could. This helped me not to say anything stupid because of the spell.

She kept talking. "What I'm trying to say is..." She paused and thought of her next words. "Now that I understand how you felt when you saved me, I think I should thank you again. This time knowing exactly why I'm saying it." She bowed. "Thank you."

"I..." I couldn't find any words. That had been by far the weirdest experience I had ever had around her. Even counting the times when her life was in danger. Luckily, I didn't need to say anything.

"That's all I wanted to say." She said. "It was really bugging me. I'll be going now, so don't worry."

I merely nodded.

After Wei had taken her to the elevator I turned back to my letter. Now I had a new issue on my mind. Something that somehow I hadn't thought of in the whole month I had spent with that spell.

º_Is she affected by the spell too? Does she feel the same way I do when I'm in danger?_º

Suddenly, I felt intimidated. I can't quite explain, but thinking that I might not be the only one acting unlike himself scared me somehow. I had to stop waiting for answers and start to do something about that spell.

I read the words on the piece of paper again.

'_Dear mother and sisters_

_I'm sorry to say that in the last week we have only caught two Clow cards. It would've been only one if I hadn't gotten another of those mysterious phone calls. It's the fourth time this has happened already, but this man doesn't leave any trace for us to follow! He only calls from public phones so it's hopeless to try and trace him. Kinomoto-san seems to be getting more powerful everyday. I don't know what Kerberos is doing to train her, but its showing results. Other than that not much has happened, my grades are good in school, except for Japanese language, but I'm getting better..._'

I added one last part.

'_One more thing, I discovered a spell..._

**End of Syaoran's P.o.V.

* * *

**

The Tall and the short figure once again gathered together, this time on a ridiculously large living room with nothing but an armchair in the middle.

"If I didn't know better I would think that you put that spell on Sakura too." The tall one said suspiciously.

The short one chuckled from his spot on the armchair. "I know what you mean. How else would she be able to see through the card? And why would she feel so connected to the young boy?"

"Exactly!"

"I think you know the answer to the first question. You said it yourself. She's getting better with magic each day that passes." The short one said. "And the answer to the second proves that there isn't such a thing as a coincidence. Even thought we didn't want her to be the one to open the book at first, Sakura has proven that she really is the perfect person to inherit the cards and to fulfill our wish."

"And why is that?" The tall one asked.

"She's just a really nice person."

TO BE CONTINUED...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** _Yay!_ (review!)_ I took me a whole (review!) week longer than usual, but I did it. And it__'__s the biggest _(Review!)_ chapter so far I think. The reason it took me so _**(Review!)**_ long was because I was taking an Easter break. Anyway, do you think it turned out nice? Tell me about it while you _**(REVIEW!)**_ review._

_Oh, for those of you wondering, I do have a list of cards Sakura and Syaoran captured in the month I skipped. They are as follow (Including the ones featured in the story.): _

**The Freeze**-- **Moon** - Sakura

**The Windy**** -- Moon** - Sakura

**The Fly**** -- Moon** - Sakura

**The Rain**** -- Moon** - Sakura

**The Sword**** -- Moon** - Sakura

**The Time**** -- Moon** - Sakura

**The Storm**** -- Moon** - Sakura

**The Silent**** -- Moon** - Syaoran

**The Thunder**** -- Moon** - Syaoran

**The Big**** -- Sun** - Sakura

**The Little**** -- Sun** - Sakura

**The Wood**** -- Sun** - Sakura

**The Shadow**** -- Sun** - Syaoran

**The Shield**** -- Sun** - Syaoran

**The Twin**** -- Sun** - Syaoran

_That__'__s it. See ya next week!_

(_review_)


	13. Sakura and Syaoran, Act I, Part 1

Hello there!

**A/N: **_Hope you're enjoying the story so far... Cause if you're not you'll probably stop reading it and that would be pretty bad for me._

_Thanks for the reviews and yadda yadda... Really. There__'__s a lot of yadda to be said in there._

_Oh... you might want to know this:_

**Disclaimer: Give me three good reasons for anybody to even think that I own Card Captor Sakura. I dare you! You can't, can you? Yeah, I though so.**

**The Plot Thickens:** Syaoran, a_fter living a month in Japan with a spell on him, finally decided to do something about it. Up until now he had kept it a secret. That is, until he suspected that Sakura might be under the influence of the spell too. He started his fight against the spell by letting his mother know about it, hoping she would provide him with much needed help. However he still thought it best to hide it from Sakura. The only lead he had were the anonymous phone calls that occasionally pinpointed the locations of cards to them, as they might be related with the person who cast the spell. Meanwhile, the two mysterious people who have been watching Sakura and Syaoran fight the cards seem to be getting closer to Touya, who is getting tired of hiding his knowledge of the cards from Sakura._

"Character Talking"

º_Character Thinking_º

(Me Talking)

_Just in case you've forgotten:_

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learned to manipulate the mana are the said magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

_And:_

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 6:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act I_

**Part 1:** _Bad News_

"Where am I?" Syaoran asked nobody in particular. His voice echoed far but there was no answer.

No matter which way he looked he could only see a white fog. Even if he looked down he wouldn't be able to see anything below his chest. Only white in all directions.

He didn't think there was anything to see though. The surroundings felt so empty. They felt full of meaning, but empty of material things. He couldn't even feel anything below his feet to sustain his weight

º_Why am I not falling?_º He wondered.

And so he fell. He fell out of the fog and now he could see the ground far below him.

He didn't feel any fear nor did he scream as his body descended. The fall was fast, but light at the same time. He finally hit the floor and was surprised at how soft it was.

It was sand. As far as the eye could see there was nothing but sand and darkness. He looked above his head and saw the fog that once surrounded him. It seemed to have a light of its own. Its light was probably the only reason why he could see anything around him. Its shape was irregular, but it seemed as if it was meant to be shaped like something, like a cloud.

"That is your soul." He heard a calm, deep, male voice say. There was so much echo he couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"Who is there?" He shouted.

"You don't know me." The voice answered. "But you know who I am."

Syaoran looked all around him, not satisfied with the enigmatic answer. There was no one as far as the light's reach allowed him to see. He wanted to go into the darkness in search for the voice, but his legs weren't responding. "What do you mean?!"

"I am the one who put this spell on you." The voice said blatantly.

Syaoran felt a rush of anger rise up on his body. Not only did this person put a spell on him but he came back to mock him. It was as if he knew that Syaoran had just started to seriously look for him. "Where are you?! Show yourself!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that." The voice said. "But still, I think you should be more polite. I'm not here to fight."

Syaoran reached out for his pocket.

"It's no use trying to use your magic. This place is just an illusion I created." The voice said.

Syaoran ignored him. "Kashin, Shiyou-rai!" He shouted. Nothing happened.

A loud sigh was heard. "See? I created this place so we could talk, not fight." The voice said.

"What do you want with me?" Syaoran asked, trying to hide the feeling of defeat from his voice.

"I'll explain it to you as well as I can." The voice said. "But that's not much I'm afraid."

Syaoran felt his feet leave the ground again. He was being propelled up towards the shinning fog.

"As I said. This white light you see represents your soul." The voice started. "Usually it would be surrounded by other souls just like you are surrounded by people, but all there is around it is darkness now. It's isolated from the other people's souls. Have you figured out why is that happening Syaoran?" It asked in an amused tone.

Syaoran knew that if the owner of that snotty voice were in front of him he would throw a punch right into his face and ask questions latter, but right now he had no choice. "Because you put this darkness around me!" He said. "It's nothing but your own mana surrounding mine."

"Yes, very good." The voice answered with excitement "That's about right. That's why nobody can sense your aura. But there's a detail you forgot." He continued. "This condition that you're in creates a link between you and me. I can observe and interfere with everything that goes in and out of your soul. That includes your thoughts and feelings."

"What?!" Syaoran shouted in surprise. "You... I thought you were just screwing up with my mind. What kind of sick..."

A chuckle was heard. Syaoran felt a chill run down his spine and another urge to fight run down his fists. "Your mind is precisely what I'm not touching. My only interest is to give you those fraternal feelings you are having towards Sakura-san. Those are feelings that come from our soul. Your mind is what allows you to reason with such mysterious feelings and realize that you are not acting like yourself."

"Whatever you're doing, just stop it!" Syaoran said waving his arm in an angry motion. "This is despicable what you're doing. You have no right... Nobody has the right to do this!"

"I can't do that." Was the answer. Syaoran sighed as that was the answer he was expecting anyway. "The reason I am here is another."

"And what is it then?"

"I have noticed that you've been fighting my spell with more effort lately. Since you freed yourself from The Time's possession, that is." It didn't surprise Syaoran that the person knew about The Time. After all, he did have access to all of his thoughts and feelings. "I figured, something must have happened to make you feel more repulsed to the spell. Something triggered this will to fight in you and your soul has been debating against mine ever since."

Syaoran knew that already. Ever since that day he'd been trying to fight the spell by many magical and material methods, but didn't have much success. "Yeah, so you came to tell me to stop fighting because it's useless." The boy said mockingly.

"I came to assure you that I am not doing anything to you other than making you protect Sakura." He said. "I'm letting all of your other thoughts and feelings run free. I hope that, knowing this, you'll feel calmer, after all, this spell can cause serious paranoia on someone."

"That's it?!" Syaoran said. "You owe me some explanations! Who are you?! Why are you doing this?!"

"I'll tell you all in due time. I am truly sorry for all that is happening. If there was any other way, I'd do it. I assure you." The voice said. "All I can tell you for now is that I did it to protect both you and Sakura-san."

"'Sorry is not gonna solve my problems!" Syaoran shouted. "You say this spell is meant to protect me, but I'd rather protect myself than have someone making my choices for me!"

The voice didn't answer. There was a cold silence inside the white fog that seemed to last an eternity. Syaoran's rage slowly faded.

"Maybe you're right." The voice answered in a sad tone. "Maybe I'll regret this later but... it's a price I'll have to pay. I'm sorry for dragging you with me."

The fog around Syaoran started to dissipate. The sand was not there anymore and though he had no means of proving it, he knew that the person was going away.

"Wait!" He shouted. It was too late. He was already back in his room, lying on his bed.

He was sweating, and judging from his unusually untidy sheets he had been moving a lot in his sleep. "Damn it! What was that all about?" Looking to the side, he noticed the alarm clock that had just started beeping.

He sat on the bed and, after pushing the off button on the clock, he put himself to ponder. That weird experience had surely been confirmation that there was somebody watching them. That somebody else was interested in the Clow cards in some way. Worst of all, that he was being absolutely controlled by that spell.

"Fraternal feelings... he's messing up with all of my thoughts!" He said, pushing himself up on his two feet. He started making his way to the bathroom. "Why would anybody do that? Does he think I'm just a puppet for him to use as he well wishes?" He muttered. º_Who is he anyway?_º

He regretted not telling his family earlier about the spell. This couldn't be considered part of his judgment to be the future leader of the clan, so his mother would probably solve the entire problem. Whoever that man was, he couldn't outsmart his mother. There had to be some way to counter that spell, and using it to find the culprit.

* * *

July 10th, Tuesday. 

"Look out!" Syaoran shouted.

Sakura didn't have any time to react. Syaoran had pushed her so hard she couldn't even keep her balance, and so she fell in the lake.

While she was falling, she caught a glimpse of a small projectile going at a fast speed through the spot she had been a split second ago. º_It nearly hit me!_º

Immediately after that, she felt her body colliding with the shallow waters of the lake. Near shore, the water was so shallow it didn't even get to her belly, even though she had fallen on her butt.

"It's The Arrow!" Kero said. "It's not a very strong card, but it's very smart."

"Where is it?" Tomoyo asked, frantically turning her camera from side to side. "I can't see it."

Sakura pulled herself up. "I can feel its aura, it's very close..." She focused herself on the task of finding the aura.

Syaoran took a small piece of paper from his pocket, and without hesitating, threw it in the air. "Raitai, Shiyou-rai!"

Bolts of lightning flew towards a tree nearby. Seconds after the tree was hit and considerably burned, a young girl fell out of it. The girl was clearly not a normal human, for she had an overly reddish skin. She had long leather gloves and boots, and held a bow in her hand. Attached to her back was a quiver full of shiny, ethereal arrows.

Syaoran ran towards the card, holding his sword up in a somewhat exotic attack position. "Return to the shape you are..." He couldn't finish the sentence. The card had quickly regained its composure and was shooting an arrow at him. º_Shit! I'm too close!_º He jumped to the side, barely avoiding the arrow. However, he was now lying flat on his stomach, an easy target. Even if it was just for a second, he had the disadvantage.

"Windy!" Sakura shouted just in time. The Arrow turned her attention to the girl, but before it could make any movement a magic wind wrapped itself around her body, paralyzing her completely. "Now, Li-kun!"

Syaoran got up and nodded towards Sakura in what she interpreted as a thanking motion. He raised his sword once again. "Return to the shape you are meant to be in, Clow card!"

The capture was a success. Ten seconds later, Syaoran was holding the card in his hands, smirking. "That was easy." He flipped the card to reveal a sun symbol on its back.

Kero flew towards him. "Easy? If it weren't for Sakura you'd have an arrow going through you right now." He said in a mocking tone. "Attacking the card head on like that... you were asking to get hit. I thought even you wouldn't do something that stupid, but you're just a hot headed brat after all."

Syaoran casually pushed him away with his elbow, not even turning to face him. "At least I do something. You just stand there and watch every time we capture a card." He said in a calm but reprehensive tone.

Kero kicked Syaoran in the back of the head, succeeding in catching his attention. "Have some respect for your elders! You still need over a century of life to get where I am, you know?"

Syaoran was rubbing the back of his head. "Over a century of sleeping you mean." He said.

Kero frowned. "You just wait until I get my powers back!" He said, pointing menacingly at Syaoran. "If I had them right now you would be apologizing already."

Syaoran snorted. "Yeah, right..." He said. "Until then I'll just have to deal with a stuffed toy I guess." He turned his back to them and started walking away. "Bye." He said grumpily. He waved his hand in the air in a lazy gesture and walked down the street.

Sakura looked at the boy, somewhat confused. "Li-kun's in a bad mood today." She said to nobody in particular. "I wonder why."

Kero was trembling with anger. His clenched teeth were exposed like a mad dog's. "Who does he think he is?" He said in a low voice, so only Tomoyo and Sakura could hear him.

Tomoyo seemed to be very entertained by the scene. "They say that when two people fight so much it's because they have a lot in common." She pointed out.

Kero made a sick face. "Don't compare me to that brat. He's all heated up just from some insults. Just like a little kid."

Tomoyo giggled. "That's exactly what he would say in your position."

* * *

Syaoran walked down the street, mumbling curse words and kicking pebbles randomly 

He had overheard them talking about him by the lake as he walked away. It had bothered him that Sakura had noticed his bad mood. Not only that, but Kero had also pointed out that he was fighting badly, as if it was because of his temper.

º_That stupid guardian... What does he know?_º He thought. º_If it weren't for this stupid spell I would be fighting much better._º

He was so distracted by his thoughts that he barely noticed as a man walked out of the bakery in front of him. They collided. Syaoran fell on his back startled and looked up, while automatically saying excuses. "I'm sorry sir, I..." His eyes widened when he saw who he had just bumped into.

"Don't worry, are you OK?" Yukito was holding his hand to help Syaoran up, with his trademark smile on. A paper bag on the other hand.

Syaoran hesitatingly took the hand. "I'm fine, thanks." He said. When he was on his two feet he cleaned the dust out of his clothes. He avoided looking Yukito in the eye, but his face was all red anyway.

"Been a while since I last saw you." Yukito said. He looked inside his bag and shuffled it with his hand, taking out a small sandwich box. "Are you hungry? I've bought some sandwiches, but I think I've got too many." He said.

"T-thanks." Syaoran said taking the box.

"Come on, we can eat over there." Yukito said, pointing to a bench that stood in a small square across the street.

Syaoran nodded and followed the boy to the square. When they sat on the bench, Yukito took another seven boxes from the bag. For a second Syaoran forgot his embarrassment, giving place to surprise. "You're gonna eat all that!"

Yukito chuckled. "You've got no idea how often I hear that." He said.

Syaoran immediately felt his heart speeding up again when the boy looked at him. He looked at the box in his hands to distract himself. º_Why did I accept this? I'm not even that hungry._º He asked himself. º_I should have gotten out of here when I had the chance._º

After opening the first box and giving a huge bite on the sandwich, Yukito noticed Syaoran staring at his closed box. "What's the matter?" He asked the boy.

Syaoran looked as far as he could from Yukito. There were a couple of pigeons on the grass there and he nearly lost himself in thought again while looking at them. However he soon reminded himself that he had to answer Yukito's question.

"I... It's nothing." He said, opening his box. "Just had something on my mind."

Yukito nodded. They both ate in silence. When Syaoran was finally done with his sandwich Yukito was already halfway through his fourth.

"Want another one?" Yukito asked handing a box to Syaoran.

º_NO!_º He thought. "Sure." He said, taking the box and opening it. He wasn't all that sure if he would even manage to eat the whole sandwich.

"So..." Yukito said. Syaoran didn't like that. Anything that started with a long 'so' would most likely end in an embarrassing question or a pointless comment on how nice the day was. "How are you liking Japan?"

º_Probably asking a normal question so he can build up to the embarrassing one._º Syaoran thought. "It's nice." He said. Feeling that Yukito's question demanded a bit more information than that he continued. "But, since I live in Hong Kong, a lot of things are the same." He took a bite from his sandwich.

"But Sakura told me you're living alone now." Yukito said. "That's a pretty big change isn't it?"

Syaoran blushed even more. Sakura and Yukito had been talking about him, and that bothered him in a way he couldn't quite understand. "I'm not really alone. Wei, our... butler, is here with me." He didn't like calling Wei a butler, but he wasn't in the mood to explain the complexity o the hierarchies in the Li clan.

"I see." Yukito figured from Syaoran's quick and dry answer that he didn't really like the subject, so he moved on. "Sakura also told me you joined the soccer team. She said you're the best in the team. I'd like to see you play someday." He said.

Syaoran choked on the piece on sandwich he was chewing. That had been at the same time great and horrible to hear. On one side, it feels good to be told by anyone that you're good at something you do. On the other, picturing Sakura saying those words gave him almost a headache from all the opposing thoughts in his head. He could almost hear two different voices in his mind. One saying that he was happy that Sakura thought he was good, the other telling the first one to shut up.

"Are you OK?" Yukito asked, seeing Syaoran cough constantly. "Here, drink this." He took out a bottle of water from his backpack.

Syaoran took the bottle and drank nearly all of it. "Thanks." He said between gasps.

"No problem." Yukito said taking the bottle back.

They went back to eating. Yukito finished the last sandwich before Syaoran could finish his second one, and so Syaoran made an effort to eat it faster.

When he was finally finished Yukito offered him a chocolate bar, but he politely refused.

"Take it." Yukito insisted. "They say chocolate helps you to calm down your nerves. You need that, don't you?"

Syaoran jumped at that, leaning away from Yukito as if he had a contagious disease. "W-what?!"

Yukito chuckled. "Just thought you seemed kinda tense."

Syaoran sighed. º_I should have just stayed in bed today._º He took the chocolate. "Thanks."

Yukito took a bar for himself. "When I get nervous about something, I usually eat a lot, but when that doesn't help, the best thing to do is to face the problem straight on."

Syaoran smiled inwardly. º_Easy for you to say._º

* * *

The next morning. 

"I'm not a monster onnichan!" Sakura shouted. She had to hold herself not to attack Touya. After all, he could get hurt pretty badly if he fell off his bike.

Touya laughed. "Please! What else but a monster could attempt to punch me, fall on the floor and talk in its sleep at the same time?" He said.

Sakura blushed. "I... I was talking?" She asked meekly. As far as she could remember she was having a dream about her and Yukito. She couldn't remember much about it though, but being a dream about Yukito, it probably involved a romantic date and her confessing her love to him. That's how it always went. "And what was I saying?" She asked with caution.

Touya made a pause as if to taste the words that were about to leave his mouth. Judging by his expression they had a sweet taste of victory. "You said: 'Could you please pass me the salt?'" He said with a smirk on his face. Sakura Sweat dropped. "See? Even in your dreams all you think about is eating." He looked at Sakura with cruel eyes. "Definitely a monster."

Sakura blushed again. This time because of anger instead of embarrassment. She glared at Touya with all of her might, as if trying to knock him off his bike with just her look.

Touya sighed. "You really should look forward when skating." He said, looking ahead. "You might hit something."

Sakura clenched her fist. "Or someone!" She pouted, looking back forward after one last glare at the boy.

Touya completely ignored her.

"Kinomoto-san! Wait!" They heard someone yelling from far behind them.

They turned back to look. Syaoran was running as fast as he could and waving his arm in the air.

"Li-kun?" Sakura said, coming to a halt.

"What is he doing here?" Touya grunted.

Syaoran ran all the way to them. Sakura noticed that whatever had gotten Syaoran in a bad mood the day before had only gotten worse now. His eyes were empty and his expression was the exact opposite of a person who had just won in the lottery. "I went to your house but you had already left." He said between panting. "Here." He extended his hand. There was a present shaped as a small rectangle in them. It was a white box wrapped in a blue ribbon. Touya glared at him in anger and in shock.

Sakura blushed. "Hoe? A present for me?" She asked puzzled. That had made no sense to her. Syaoran was the most unlikely person to give her a present, and they were going to meet in school in few minutes anyway so there was no reason for him to go so out of his way just to see her. Then again, he wasn't wearing his uniform, so he would probably skip school for some reason. "W-why did you..."

"Just take it!" Syaoran said frowning. "And don't open it until this afternoon."

Sakura hesitatingly took the present. "What..." Sakura tried to say something more but Syaoran turned his back on her.

"Just do as I say." The boy said walking away.

Touya got off his bike. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" He said. "I'm not just going to stand here while you..." He stopped himself unsure of what Syaoran was really doing. "The school's that way anyway so don't just walk off in the wrong direction." He said finally.

Syaoran sighed. "I'm not going to school today." He said in a sad tone.

Touya watched him get more distant. "What's the matter with him? He looks depressed." Though he didn't like Syaoran much, it bothered Touya to see the boy in such a terrible state.

Sakura nodded. "I don't know..." She turned to Touya and gave him a sly smile. "Are you worrying about him?"

Touya raised an eyebrow. "No... I'm actually glad that he's getting what he deserves. Whatever that is..."

Sakura kicked his shin, and judging from Touya's yelp, it was a particularly painful kick. "Don't say that!"

* * *

Meanwhile. 

Wei casually hummed a Chinese song to himself as he vacuumed the floor of Syaoran's bedroom. He was feeling all but casual however. His eyes had been constantly shifting their gaze back and forth to a small piece of paper on the cupboard over the past few minutes. Every now and then he let out a sigh of frustration.

It was a letter from Syaoran's mother that had arrived just that morning. Syaoran had been very anxious when opening it, but after he started reading it his expression slowly changed to one of surprise and then sadness. He hadn't said much since. Instead, he had taken all of his Clow cards, wrapped them like a present and left, leaving only a few words behind.

"I'll be right back." He had said. Wei tried to question him but the boy only repeated himself in a more stern voice. "I'll be right back!"

Wei wasn't even considering the possibility of breaking Syaoran's privacy and reading the letter, but he was being extremely bothered by that mystery. Hopefully Syaoran would be really 'right back' and would explain it all. Though he knew that, even after explained, it would still be something bad.

* * *

Later, at Tomoeda Elementary. 

"A Present from Li-kun?" Tomoyo asked anxiously. She had a sparkle in her eyes that Sakura found a bit intimidating.

"I don't know what happened to him." Sakura said. She had tried to shake the box several times to get a hint of its contents, but there was just a muffled sound that didn't help at all. "He just showed up out of nowhere, gave me this and walked away. That's weird isn't it?" She said, holding the present up.

Tomoyo giggled. "Maybe not." She said with a hint of malice.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "You don't think it's weird?" She asked. "He said I could only open it this afternoon. That's definitely."

"I think he wanted you to be alone when you opened it." Tomoyo said sweetly. "Maybe there's a letter for you inside."

"A letter?" Sakura asked bluntly.

Tomoyo lifted her finger to emphasize her point. "A romantic letter."

Sakura blushed lightly. "What? You think Li-kun..." She looked at the present and considered the possibility for a second. After shaking her head she said. "I don't think it's anything like that Tomoyo-chan." She said conclusively with an amused chuckle.

Tomoyo nodded, disappointed with Sakura's simple reaction to her suggestion. "I was just kidding Sakura-chan." She said. º_Though it would be nice if it where true._º

Terada walked in. "Good morning, everybody." He said, placing his material on his desk. "Please take your seats. I have an announcement to make." He said. Soon all the students were on their respective desks in silence. "Very well... Li Syaoran has informed us just a few minutes ago that he is returning to Hong Kong and therefore, leaving our school."

The room was immediately filled with whispers, gossips and comments on the announcement. Sakura put a hand over her mouth to suppress a shocked gasp. That had made just as little sense as the mysterious present. What could have possibly happened for Syaoran to leave all of a sudden was beyond her. She turned to the side when she noticed Tomoyo talking to her.

"Sakura-chan, do you think that's why he gave you that present?" She asked, apparently as shocked as Sakura.

Sakura looked at her half open backpack hanging from her chair. The present was barely visible, but now it looked clearer than ever to her. She extended her hands and took the wrapping. The shape and size were so obvious, and now she could easily feel the auras coming from inside the package.

"This present... It's..." She said, scared by her own words. "He really is leaving." Sakura felt panic rushing in. She started to pale and her hands were trembling.

Tomoyo looked at Sakura's concerned face. She was surprised to see how affected Sakura had been by that, even by Sakura's standards. Had she become so close to Syaoran without her even noticing? "Sakura-chan..." She said in a comforting tone. There was no need for specific words. The voice did all the talking.

Sakura looked at Tomoyo and the girl could see that she had a tear sliding down her face from her now dull emerald eyes. Her trembling lips mumbled some words that could be barely understood. "What am I going to do, Tomoyo-chan?"

Tomoyo was caught completely off guard by Sakura's breakdown. It was far from what she would expect from Sakura, and she was usually right when it came to knowing what to expect from her friend. "Sakura-chan, calm down."

Sakura sniffed loudly, but there were still so many whispers flying around that it was inaudible to anyone but her and Tomoyo. "I..." She paused. "I don't feel too well." She said, her expression suddenly changing to a relaxed one, as if she had lost the strength to keep the other one.

Tomoyo was absolutely confused with Sakura's behavior. First, genuine curiosity, then panic, then despair and now she wasn't really sure what Sakura was feeling. "Sakura-chan, what's wrong?" She asked, prioritizing her friend's well being over her confusion.

Sakura didn't answer. She looked at Tomoyo with blank eyes and the girl had only a split second to realize Sakura had lost consciousness before her body started falling lifelessly off the chair.

"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo screamed as she jumped from her seat to catch Sakura before she hit the floor.

The whispers in the class halted for one second as everyone turned to look at the source of the scream and then restarted with even more intensity and a brand new subject.

"Kinomoto-san!" Terada said, rushing through the students. He finally reached the girl and knelled beside her. "What happened?" He asked Tomoyo.

"I don't know." Tomoyo said. "We were just talking and all of a sudden she said she wasn't feeling very well. A couple of seconds later she fainted."

Terada took Sakura in his arms and, after checking her pulse and breathing, he picked her up. "It's probably her blood pressure." He said. "I'll take her to the infirmary." He announced so all of the class could hear. "You can start today's lesson already. When I get back we'll review exercises 1 to 7. And no gossiping while I'm out!"

The whispering stopped The students started taking out their material and only an isolated comment on the situation could be heard here and there occasionally, though a tense mood was still hanging over the room.

Terada started making his way out of the classroom and when he was near the door he halted. "Oh, Daidouji-san." He said, getting Tomoyo's attention. "Please, come with me to the infirmary. Since you're Sakura's relative, I'd like you to call someone from her family." He said.

Tomoyo nodded. She promptly got up from her seat and followed Terada, now feeling more apprehensive than she ever remembered feeling before.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** _Oh no! Don't die Sakura! __I need you! You're my protagonist for crying out loud! _

_I'm sorry... I worry for my characters too you know. Anyway, that's it for now. I might not post a chapter next week cause I'll be traveling, but I'll se what I can do. Just don't keep your hopes up. Though I might post it very early in the week, before I leave home, so you might keep your hopes up a bit. Well... sort of don't do maybe who knows keep your hopes a bit but not so much that it gets too up... Or not._

_Oh! And don't forget to review. Bye!_


	14. Sakura and Syaoran, Act I, Part 2

Yo!

**A/N:** _First of all, I'm sorry I missed a week, but I had made it clear that it might happen, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise to you regular readers._

_Speaking of which, I noticed an absence of some of my regular reviewers. I'm talking to you Yami Umi, Criticizer 101,_ _Trmpetplaya1 and Mew Frost (For two chapters Mew. I feel betrayed!). Where are you guys? You're probably my favorite reviewers and not even one of you reviewed the last chapter. I feel sad and lonely and..._

_Sorry for that… I tend to get emotional. Oh, and speaking of regulars. I recall an old regular from the old days (Yes, this fic had it's old days.) that went by the penname of __**Violet (Insanity Team a.k.a. Violet actually.)**__. If you're still waiting for the story to catch up to the point at which you stopped, please, make yourself known. Just out of curiosity. I really enjoyed your reviews too._

_SnowCharms, you're right in everything you said. Those things like Syaoran being able to lock the cards are all my invention. They're not mistakes, but intentional changes. The other reviwers's questions will be answered in this chapter._

_But forget that ranting, let's go to what matters._

_Instant Japanese:_

**Baa-san – **_Aunt or a general way of addressing older women._

**Disclaimer: I don't feel like making a disclaimer joke today... Nobody cares about them anyway. I don't own CCS. Period.**

**The Plot Thickens:** _After telling his mother about the spell in him, Syaoran was finally approached by the caster of the said magic. It was in his dreams that the mysterious person came to him and, without showing his face, tried to convince him to stop fighting the spell, claiming that even though it gave him control over the boy's body and soul, he wouldn't use it for anything else but protecting Sakura. Syaoran wasn't satisfied with that idea, but could do nothing about it. Soon after, he surprised everybody when Terada announced he was going back to Hong Kong. Sakura was despaired at the news, realizing that the package she'd received from the boy earlier was in fact the pack of cards Syaoran had captured. Right after having a panic attack, the girl fainted in the classroom._

"Character Talking"

º_Character Thinking_º

(Me Talking)

_Might I add:_

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learned to manipulate the mana are the said magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

_And:_

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 6:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act I_

**Part 2:** _Fighting Alone_

Syaoran walked past the front door of his apartment. º_I'm all done here._º He thought. º_As far as I'm concerned, I'm already back in Hong Kong._º

He was still closing the door behind him when he saw Wei entering the room though the kitchen. "Syaoran-sama, you're finally back. You better hurry up, you can still make it for today's second class." He said.

Syaoran sighed. He rested his keys on a key hanger by the door. "I'm not going to school." He said.

Wei looked at him as if expecting him to say more than that. "May I be so bold as to ask why?" The man asked in a reprehensive tone.

"We're going back to Hong Kong." Syaoran said in a cold voice. He walked past Wei not bothering to give any more explanations.

Wei followed Syaoran. "Is there something I am missing here?" He insisted.

Syaoran walked into his room and picked the letter lying on his cupboard. "Read this." He said, handing the letter to Wei.

Wei took the letter. "This is the letter from your mother..." He said shifting his gaze to the words on the letter.

_'Dear Syaoran_

_I am very disappointed at you for keeping this secret from me for so long. Your life might be in danger! That was the most irresponsible thing I have ever seen you do. If you had told me earlier I might have been able to help you. Your life is more important than your trial...'_

"Syaoran-sama, what is Yelan-sama talking about?" Wei asked surprised. "Is it the spell?"

Syaoran let out a deep sigh. "I'll explain it all to you later. Just keep reading." Syaoran answered.

Wei nodded hesitatingly. He put his attention back on the letter.

'_The elders and I have thought a lot on the situation. Seeing as the cards already have a future mistress selected by Clow, we thought it was pointless to insist in their pursuit. The only reason we told you to keep looking for them was because we thought that it might be a good training for you, but I won't stand here and let somebody manipulate you while you look for cards that you wont even be able to bring back at the end. I have already bought you your plane ticket back. When you get here you will return to your usual training and the elders will decide on a new trial for you. From this moment on the Li family will have no relation with the Clow cards other than our history books._

_P.S. You and Wei can pick up your tickets at the Tokyo International Airport. Your flight is scheduled for July 12th at 7:30 am.'_

Wei put the letter down. He looked at Syaoran and couldn't quite make up what his eyes were hiding. They looked cold as ice and at the same time completely melt down. "Syaoran-sama..."

Syaoran let out a meek laugh that could be easily mistaken for a snort. "Crazy isn't it?" He said. "Giving up like that because of a stupid spell."

Wei couldn't find any words to say. Syaoran appeared to be as confused as himself, but twice as confusing.

"We better start packing." Syaoran said. "Our flight leaves tomorrow so we have to be ready."

Wei nodded. "Right."

Syaoran walked back into the living room. "I'll call the school and cancel my registration there."

* * *

Hong Kong, 11:00 am. 

Li Yelan was sitting on her knees over a comfy cushion. Before her, also knelled, was the elder of the Li-clan, her father. The room they were in was very big, and the fact that it had nothing in it apart from the weapons and scrolls hanging on the walls made it look even bigger.

"Why did you call me to the dojo?" Yelan asked in a serious tone. She had a very intimidating frown on her face. Her father was retrieving the gaze with just as much intensity.

"Yelan, you told Xiao Lang to come back." Her father said. "That's not what we've agreed."

Yelan frowned harder. "I won't risk my son's life." She said. "Do you have any idea of who put this spell on him?"

"Do you?" Her father asked with a bit of anger.

Yelan paused. She looked down to her hands that rested on her knees. They were clenched tightly. "I... I've met him once." She said with hesitation. "He came to me."

Her father showed no hint of surprise. His aged face looked like a rock. "It didn't occur to you that you should tell us something of this importance?" He said.

"I couldn't tell you." Yelan said. "He came to me to tell me that he needed Xiao Lang to stay in Japan. If I told you that, you would have found out that I told him to come back."

"I see..." Her father said. "What else did he tell you?"

"Nothing." Yelan answered. She pulled herself up to her feet. "I don't care for anything else he has to say. Whoever he is." She said. "Do as you wish father, but I won't sacrifice my son's free will for a deck of cards that we have already lost to the girl."

Her father sighed. He didn't move a muscle as Yelan walked past him. Yelan was about to leave the door when he spoke. "There won't be another judgment for him." He said. "You elude yourself to think that we have given up on the cards."

Yelan stopped walking for a second. She looked back at her father. He wasn't looking at her, but she could tell that he was serious about that. "Very well." She said. "Then Syaoran has failed on his trial."

She walked out of the dojo and closed the door behind her. After a deep sigh she leaned against the door.

"Good acting." Someone said.

Yelan looked up. "You... I had to lie to my own father and son. And even break an important family tradition to keep your secret." She said in low voice. "But I will never give up my son's free will."

The other person sighed. "Yelan-san... you think this is any easier to me than it is to you? We are on the same side."

Yelan snorted. "You are absolutely selfish. You say that this is for the good of all, but all you really care is your share of the prize."

"It's true that if it weren't for my 'share of the prize' I wouldn't even be here." The person said. "I would be much more satisfied if it was that way, but it's not. I have a responsibility here. I owe it to her."

Yelan started walking through the corridor that led back to the house, the other person following her. "Yes, you make such a foolish mistake with her and now my son has to pay for your irresponsibility. You've messed things up enough for her, Sakura and Touya. Leave Xiao Lang out of this insanity." She said, starting to loose her temper. "And don't you dare forcing my son to stay in Japan with your magic."

"I would never do that. If he leaves or not, it's completely up to him. I've already told him all that he needs to know to make that decision just like you asked me." The person said. "But I must say... I personally think that, regardless of the effects of my spell, he really wants too see this to the end."

* * *

Nadeshiko rushed into the Tomoeda Elementary infirmary. 

"Sakura-chan!" She said in a gasp when she put her eyes inside the room.

Sakura was lying on the bed, still unconscious. Her face looked peaceful though. Beside her were Tomoyo and a nurse.

"Good morning, baa-san." Tomoyo said. The fact that Tomoyo was smiling calmed Nadeshiko down. Sakura was ok after all.

"Good morning, Tomoyo-chan." She said, returning the smile.

The nurse coughed gently to get their attention.

"Yes?" Nadeshiko said.

The nurse was a very over weighted woman, but she had a friendly feeling to her big face. She was smiling. "Don't you worry Kinomoto-san. Your daughter's probably passed out from stress. Her friend told me she had a panic attack just before loosing consciousness. She'll be back to her senses anytime now."

Nadeshiko sighed in relief. "Thank you. When I got the call from Tomoyo I was so nervous, Sakura never did anything like this. I mean... Her health has always been superb."

The nurse nodded. "I was told that her friend is going back to China. That probably made her nervous."

Nadeshiko blinked in confusion. "You mean Li-kun? That Chinese boy?"

The nurse nodded again. "Yes. That boy." She said. "Does your family have any history of problems with blood pressure?"

Nadeshiko shook her head. "No, not that I've heard of..." She said.

The nurse nodded yet again and looked up as if taking mental notes. "Then it was probably a matter of stress. She must have been really attached to the boy." She said. "It's unusual in children, but it can happen."

"I never knew..." Nadeshiko looked at Sakura, paused for a second and then looked at Tomoyo with an inquisitive look. "Tomoyo-chan... were Sakura-chan and Li-kun..."

Tomoyo immediately completed the phrase for Nadeshiko. "They were really good friends." She said with the sweetest smile she could put on.

* * *

"Do you really want to do this?" Wei asked the boy when they finally managed to close an overly stuffed bag. "Why don't you stay? The money for the ticket isn't much of a problem for your mother." 

Syaoran sat down on his bed. "Wei-san, when I got that letter from my mom... my first thought was that I wanted to stay." He said. "But... I can't stay anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because the only reason I would be staying would be the fake feelings I have..." Syaoran said. "The ones he put on me. Staying would be the same as surrendering to his will."

"And going back would be the same as running away from it." Wei said in a stern voice. "The Li Syaoran I know would stay here until he had managed to solve the problem."

"The Li Syaoran you know doesn't exist as long as this spell is on me!" Syaoran said with anger. "I'm just a puppet to this maniac. If I go to Hong Kong he'll have no use for me! He said it himself. He's only using me to protect Sakura."

Wei looked at Syaoran directly in the eye. "You are scared aren't you?" He asked with a soft voice.

Syaoran jumped up from his bed. "I'm just doing what's reasonable. Staying here would only bring problems to me and to everyone around me."

Wei sighed in defeat. "It's your choice, Syaoran-sama. I just wanted to be sure you wouldn't regret it later."

* * *

Sakura's house. 

Sakura heard the sound of rain and slowly opened her eyes. When the weak sunlight that was coming in through the window hit her she felt a pain in the back of the head. A headache. Her whole body felt like a headache as a matter of fact. She was completely exhausted.

"Finally awake." She heard someone say. "I've heard you made quite a scandal at school. Typical of a monster like yourself." It was Touya. He was sitting on the bed beside her.

"Touya..." Sakura forced herself to sit up. "I am not a monster." She said meekly.

Touya chuckled. "Right..." He said in a sarcastic tone. "I'm going to fix you something to eat. I'll be right back." He stood up. "Oh, and Tomoyo's here. I'll call her up."

"Thanks." Sakura said as he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Two seconds later Kero landed on Sakura's belly. "What happened?" He asked. "Was it a Clow card?"

Sakura shook her head. "Not really..." She said. "I don't know what it was... It felt as if all of my mana was being sucked out of me."

"What were you doing when it happened?" The guardian asked.

"I had just found out that..." Sakura gasped when the memory hit her back. "Li-kun!"

* * *

Syaoran put yet another piece of clothing in his big bag. "They make me bring so many clothes... I could spend the whole year here and not wear half of them." He said to himself. 

"Luckily, they also make you bring this enormous bag for them." Wei said jokingly as he handed him another pile of shirts.

The interphone rang.

"I'll get it." Syaoran said. "I need a break from all of this luggage." He walked out of the room.

When he pushed the interphone button, the little screen beside it lighted up.

There was Sakura. Her eyes were damp, but Syaoran couldn't tell if they were tears or if it was just a consequence of her standing in the rain.

Syaoran felt his heart sink. º_Is she crying?_º "K-Kinomoto-san... What are you doing here?"

Sakura sniffed and wiped a tear that was about to fall down her face. "Please..." She said in a faint, tired voice. "I need to talk to you."

Syaoran sighed. He didn't want to go through that. He knew the spell was still on him and it would make him start having second thoughts on his decision to go back. He needed to stay away from all that linked him to Tomoeda and the cards, even if it meant to leave Sakura crying in the rain. She would get over it eventually, but he might not have another chance to get away from the spell again. It wasn't so bad to be in the rain. She even had raincoat on.

"I'm sorry. You'll have to go." He said. "I'm busy right now." º_Is she crying over me?_º

Syaoran froze when he saw another faces joining Sakura in the screen. It was Tomoyo and Touya. Both clad on raincoats too.

"Listen here brat!" Touya said. "I don't know why my sister is crying over someone like you, but you're going to apologize to her right now!"

Tomoyo seemed to be infuriated too. It was a rare sight. "Li-kun, I think you owe us some explanations." She said.

Syaoran let out a loud Chinese curse word. "Fine. Come up."

* * *

"I can't believe I'm letting him alone with her." Touya said, letting his body fall down on the couch. 

"Touya-kun, this has to be a private conversation." Tomoyo said. º_And it wouldn't be too good if you found out the real reason of all this problem._º

"I'm only accepting it because Sakura asked me. The brat has lost his right for privacy." Touya said. º_And who do they think they're fooling?_º

Inside Syaoran's study Sakura stared at her own feet. She couldn't say anything.

"What do you want?" Syaoran asked, trying to sound bored. He was, as usual, avoiding Sakura's gaze. It wasn't necessary this time though. If he looked at her all that he would see was her bangs covering her eyes.

Sakura breathed in a large amount of air. "Please... don't go." Was all she said.

Syaoran snorted. "Why shouldn't I?" He said coldly. "You're going to be the future mistress anyway. I have no more business here."

Sakura sniffed. "I can't do this on my own." She said. "Up until now I thought that I could handle it all but... When I found out you were leaving I realized that you were the one making it all easy for me."

Syaoran's cold expression melted for a second, but he quickly regained his composure. "Listen... You'll do fine. You've opened the seal. That means you're much more powerful than I am."

"No!" Sakura shouted. "Everybody keeps saying that, but it's a lie. I can't deal with the cards by myself. I don't know how I opened that seal, but I know that I'm not half as good as you are."

"I'm not changing my mind." Syaoran said.

There was only silence then. Syaoran hoped that Sakura would turn back and give up. He had made it quite clear that he wasn't open for argumentation.

He gasped when he saw Sakura fall down on her knees. For a second he thought she was fainting, but then he saw that she was bowing. º_She's begging me?_º

"I beg of you." Sakura said between sniffs. "I'm afraid. I'm afraid to do this on my own."

Syaoran felt his eyes start to burn. "Why are you doing this?" Sakura was desperate and there was nothing he could do. He couldn't comfort her because it wouldn't be him talking, and he couldn't stay in Japan either. He felt a tear slide down his eyes.

"Get up." He said. "It won't do you any good. This isn't my choice, it's my family's."

Sakura put herself back up. She discovered that, if your wish is not granted, standing up after begging to someone can be twice as humiliating as the act of begging itself.

She looked at Syaoran and thought she saw him wiping a tear from his face. "Why?" She asked him. "Why are you doing this now? It's been a month since we've found out I'm the future mistress. What changed since then?"

Syaoran looked at her in shock. "Didn't you read the note on the present?" He said. "The reasons are mine and mine alone. I expected you to respect that."

Sakura shook her head. "I didn't open it..." She said. "When I found out they were Clow cards... I automatically took them as mine. I became their mistress. I fainted immediately after. Kero-chan said that there were so many new cards that I fainted from the amount of mana I had to give away. Imagine what will be like if I get them all."

"You'll get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it!" She said loudly. She looked down to her feet again. "I need someone to help me..."

Syaoran closed his fist tightly, but avoided showing any other sign of his tension. "I'm sorry..." He said. "I have no choice." He walked past Sakura. "You should get back to your house and get some rest."

He was going to reach for the doorknob when he felt a hand holding his sleeve delicately.

"I'll give up too." Sakura said in a last desperate attempt. "I'll leave the cards on the loose and throw the book away."

"Fine." Syaoran said, though his heart screamed otherwise. "It's not my problem anymore."

* * *

_'I'm going back to Hong Kong. I got a card from my mother today. She said I should go back because the cards already have a mistress. I agree with her on that but, I didn't really want to go back. I have to go however, for reasons that you're better off not knowing. You'd just concern yourself over it. Just remember that we're not the only ones interested in the cards._

_Good luck with getting them all.'_

Sakura put the piece of paper back on her desk. "Kero-chan... I can't do this. I'm scared."

Kero flew to her side. "Sakura, it's ok to be scared." He said. "But you have to believe in yourself. You're the one who saved the brat's life just yesterday, remember? You can fight too."

"I know but..." Sakura took the small pile of cards that was in the box. "Li-kun was never afraid of those cards. When he was fighting by my side, it didn't feel so dangerous. But now... I'm alone."

"Hey! What about me? And Tomoyo?" Kero said flying to the spot between Sakura and the cards. When he saw Sakura's red eyes his face softened. "You shouldn't rely on the brat so much."

"I'm sorry Kero-chan." She said, forcing a smile on. "I'm just being silly. Li-kun was never this worried about me anyway. I guess I just thought I would be safe with him because of that dream." Sakura put the cards back down. "So much for a prophecy."

* * *

A lone figure stood on top of a building in the proximity of the Tokyo Tower. Sakura wondered what she was doing there. She should be in her bed, sleeping. What was that all about? Why were the cards flying around her? Kero was also there. She was scared. Somehow she knew that she was about to fight the last battle of her life, and there was no one there to help her up if she fell. Except for him. He had protected her up until today. She looked around desperately for any sign of him, but he was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't protecting her anymore. She was all alone now. 

Sakura woke up crying.

She felt an urge to tell everything to her mother, her brother and her father. Tell them about the Clow cards. Tell them she wasn't ready to face them on her own. She wasn't ready for so much responsibility. Tell them that for the first time in her life, she was afraid she might really die.

* * *

July 12th. 

"Sakura! Wake up!" Kero said, shaking Sakura as hard as his small body permitted. "I can feel a Clow card! It's very close."

Sakura sighed. She was already awake. She had been awake all night fearing this moment. She had hoped it wouldn't come so soon though.

"I won't..." She said.

Kero stopped shaking her. "What?"

"I can't do it..." She said, holding her sheets tight "I don't want to do it anymore." She pulled her body to the side so she would be facing the wall.

Kero sighed. He landed on Sakura's shoulder. "Sakura, do you really believe that all the cards you've caught, all the battles you fought since we met... Do you believe that he deserves credit for all of them?"

Sakura didn't answer.

Kero remained in silence for a couple of seconds. After making up his mind he looked at Sakura with determined eyes. "Did you know that when Clow died, he asked me to judge whoever opened the book?"

Sakura's attention was caught by that. She turned her head to look at Kero. "Judge?"

"Yes..." Kero said. "I have been judging you all this time, and as far as I'm concerned you are more than Clow could ever ask for in a successor."

"But..."

"You've grown so much in so little time, and you still have so much to grow. You can't just throw that away Sakura." The guardian continued. "I know that sometimes it seems as if we are out of place or as if things will not work out right, but that's precisely when you need to raise your head and face the obstacles in your way. Or have you forgotten how afraid you were when you captured your first card. It was flying straight at you, but you stood there and faced it. It's the same now Sakura. You're afraid of imminent danger. All you have to do is face it again."

Sakura let out a small smile. It was amazing how that cute little fur ball actually sounded like a centenarian guardian sometimes. "Kero-chan... thanks." She said.

Kero smiled too. "Come on... you'll be afraid forever if you don't face your fears."

Sakura nodded. "I'll get dressed."

* * *

Meanwhile at the Tokyo International Airport. 

"Tokyo Airlines: Flight 815 to Hong Kong boarding in fifteen minutes." Said the voice on the speaker.

"Here you go Syaoran-sama." Wei said, handing Syaoran a cup of coffee. "Drink it up."

"Thanks." Syaoran said, taking the cup. He threw away the empty packing of a chocolate bar he had just eaten in a nearby thrash can

Syaoran slowly sipped the coffee, careful not to burn his tongue.

A minute ago he had felt the presence of a Clow card while in the cab. He ignored it though. º_She'll take care of it._º He opened another chocolate bar and started eating it.

'When I get nervous about something, I usually eat a lot, but when that doesn't help, the best thing to do is to face the problem straight on.'

Syaoran shook his head hardly. º_Why did I think of that now?_º

"Wei-san..." He said. "I'll take a walk around. I'll be back before they announce the flight."

* * *

The shores of Tomoeda Lake. 

"It's The Shot. Can't reason with that one." Kero said. "It's very small and very quick so you'll have to find a way to stop it."

Sakura looked at the small pink ball floating in front of her. It didn't have a face, but from its aggressive aura she could tell it was ready to attack. Her hands were trembling, but she was feeling a little braver than in the past night. º_All that crying really helped me._º She tried to put a determined face on, in an attempt to encourage herself.

"How do I stop it?" She asked.

"I'm still working on that..." Kero said.

"Hurry up." Sakura said holding her staff tight. "I think it's going to attack any... Kiah!"

The card charged towards Sakura at an incredible speed. Sakura jumped to the side to avoid it. She felt a stinging pain in her left arm and knew that she had been cut.

"Sakura!" Kero flew to her side. "Quick, get up." He said.

Sakura stood up, putting her hand to the cut in her arm. It wasn't too bad. "It's too fast!" She said.

"You have to be faster then!" Kero said.

Sakura nodded. "I'll try..." She put a hand in her pocket and took out a deck of cards. "Which should I..."

She didn't have time to finish. The card charged again and this time managed to make a deeper cut on her left shoulder.

"Ouch!" Sakura dropped all the cards from the pain. "Oh no!" She tried to reach for them but had to jump to the other side to dodge yet another charge of the card. This time she didn't get any cuts, but fell face first on to the floor, swallowing a lot of dirt in the process.

"Sakura! Try this!" She heard Kero shout. She looked up and saw him throwing a card to her.

Sakura took the card in midair. It was The Freeze. "That's it!" She said.

She was about to pull herself up when she saw the card charging at her again. She rolled to the side and avoided it by less than an inch. A lot of mud was thrown in the air when the card hit the ground.

Sakura stood up, coughing to clear the dirt from her throat. "It's now or never!" She said. "Freeze!"

* * *

Wei looked at the digital clock above the boarding platform. 

"They'll announce the flight anytime now." He said. "I'd better go and warn Syaoran-sama."

* * *

Sakura looked at the ice that formed itself above the card. It was trapped now. 

"I did it?" She stared at the ice in awe. "I did it!" She answered herself, smiling.

Kero flew to her side merrily. "See? I told you. You're great at this!" He said.

Sakura grabbed Kero in a tight hug. "Thanks Kero-chan! I really feel much better now." She said, a tear sliding down her face. A tear of relief.

Kero chuckled. "Alright. Now lock that card so we can go home. You're already late for school."

Sakura nodded. She wiped the tear out and faced the ice block. º_I can do this. I really can!_º "Return to the shape you are meant to..."

**'CRACK'**

Sakura froze. º_Crack?_º

"Sakura! Look out!" Kero shouted.

Before she could react, part of the ice in front of her exploded. The card had broken free and it was headed straight at her. It wouldn't take more than a second for it to reach her. They were too close. And if the card hit her straight in the face like that...

º_It's going to kill me._º

TO BE CONTINUED...

---------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** _Oh no! __Don't die Sakura! I need you! You're my protagonist for crying... Wait... I've done this already. Gosh... Is my story getting repetitive?_

_Whatever... Review and stuff._

_Oh! And a special thanks to Meredith Summer. My newfound editor (Sort of.). I feel bad for not paying her any money. _

_See you next chapter._

* * *


	15. Sakura and Syaoran, Act II, Part 1

Heroh! Welcome to my shitty fic!

**A/N: **_Did you like the last chapter? Yeah, me too. Specially the part where Sakura dies._

_Oh... you didn't know that yet? Ooooh__…__ Sorry._

_Anyway..._

**First of all I'll thank my reviewers:** _Thank you my reviewers!_

**Then I'll put the stupid disclaimer on: I do not own Card... Wait... Maybe if... Nah. I definitely don't own CCS.**

_Almost there now._

**The Plot Thickens:** _After telling his mother about the spell inside him, Syaoran was told to go back to Hong Kong, seeing as there was no point in keeping him around the cards anymore as it would just endanger him and the cards would end up with Sakura anyway. What the boy didn't know was that this decision was taken by his mother alone. The elders of the Li Clan (Yelan's parents.) were against it, claiming that they hadn't given up on the cards. Yelan is clearly involved in something bigger, having to lie to her own parents and son to keep the secret of the mysterious person behind all the strange events, who curiously goes by the same name as Clow. Sakura, who became desperate when she found out Syaoran was leaving, was beginning to get more self confidence and to believe that she could fight the cards by herself. However, when she was about to capture her first card without Syaoran, The Shot, it all went wrong and she suddenly found herself a second away from being hit on the head by the deadly projectile._

_And finally, I'll move on to the next chapter that picks up right after The Shot goes through Sakura's head, ending her life along with the whole plot._

_Well..._

_Not Really..._

_She's okay. The Shot hasn't hit her..._

_Yet..._

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 7:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act II_

**Part 1:** _Memory is a Stranger_

Syaoran looked around himself in confusion. "Where did everybody go?" He looked all around to try and find any trace of anything, but it was to no avail.

He knew he had been in the airport just a couple of seconds ago. All of a sudden everything just vanished. The people, the voices, the sound of the airplanes taking of, even the air he was breathing. All that was left now was white.

Realization hit him. º_No way!_º

He was there again. The white fog. That feeling of lightness. It was exactly like the last time that person had contacted him.

Whoever had cast that spell on him was back, trying to stop him from going away. He was trying to keep Syaoran in Tomoeda so he could keep using him. Keep controlling his thoughts. His feelings.

"Let me out!" Syaoran shouted as loud as he could. "I won't stay here and I won't let you force me to!"

There was no answer.

Syaoran tried to move in the fog but it was useless. He could only wave his arms and legs around but he didn't feel his body shift it's position in that immense nothingness. "I know you're here!" He shouted louder than before. "Are you planning to keep me here until the plane takes off?"

"This place only exists in our minds." Came the voice he had heard in his last dream. "Things happen so fast here that time becomes irrelevant." The voice said. "If I want to, I can talk to you for a whole day here and no more than ten seconds will have gone by. We can think much faster than we can actually talk. Especially when we let our minds disconnect from the real world."

Syaoran snorted. "Then what do you want from me? If you want to talk me into staying why don't you just pull some strings in my mind again?!" He said sarcastically.

There was a long pause from the voice. Syaoran was tensing up every second. Although he wouldn't show it, he was actually afraid. He knew now that fighting huge thunder beasts and giant birds was nothing when compared to this. To actually feel something because somebody else wants you to. Even the fear he was feeling now could be fake.

Syaoran was caught off guard by the voice when it finally spoke up in a soft, sincere and somewhat hesitant tone. Which was very strange coming from the one he had thought so far as the puppet master of the whole thing. "If I cut the spell on you... would you stay?" He asked.

Syaoran felt a tremendous surprise upon hearing that, but it didn't last long. It soon gave way to hope. All of a sudden the odds weren't against him any more. He felt like a little kid and could barely keep his cool.

"I..." He hesitated. Lost in excitement, he couldn't sort out the words for a proper answer.

While he was looking for a good reply to the question the heat on him slowly faded away. He managed to think about the subject properly and realized it was probably too good to be true. There had to be a catch, or it could be a trap. Maybe just plain bluffing. His excitement went away as fast as it had come, leaving only a fine line of irrational hope.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked finally. "Why do you need me so much?"

"I don't need you." The voice said. "She does."

Syaoran felt a hint of guilt in his heart. He knew exactly what the voice meant. Sakura had been relying on him so far to catch all the cards, and now that she was going to have to do it by herself she was afraid. All because he was running away.

He shook his head hard to shake that thought out. "Stop making me feel sorry for her!"

"In this place, my spell has no effect. Even if I wanted to I couldn't be doing that." The voice said.

Syaoran frowned. "Why should I believe you?"

"You shouldn't..." The voice said in defeat. "I never gave you any reason to... but I will ask you to listen to me just once and then reconsider your choice."

Syaoran sighed. He didn't feel like he had much of a choice but to agree with the voice. º_And if it gets me free of this spell._º "Fine!" He said.

"It was very hard on me to take this decision." The voice started. "But I've decided that it was unfair to just assume you can't help her on your own. I apologize for that."

Syaoran couldn't quite understand the meaning behind this puppet master's actions, but he understood that they were starting to be more favorable on his side. He thought it best to calm his nerves down.

The voice proceeded. "However, I can't just take the spell out like that. It would make you confused to the point of insanity. Trust me, I've seen it happen."

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked annoyed. "Didn't you say that the spell didn't work here?"

"When you're here, the spell stops taking effect, but the changes it has already made remain. That's why you feel sorry for her, and you still have a will to protect her." The voice answered in a wise and patient tone. "If I take it out completely, the place where these feelings towards Sakura-san should be, be they good or bad, will be left with nothing but plain indifference. You'll remember her and all that you lived and felt throughout this period, but at the same time, everything regarding her will seem like a lie to you. I know I haven't exactly earned your trust, but I need you to trust me now. We're on the same side."

Syaoran looked down. It didn't make any difference, there was only the white fog, but he felt more secure looking down. It helped him think. That last bit of information had displeased him a lot. Now that he was finally presented with the opportunity to get rid of the spell he was afraid of doing it. The feelings he had felt in the past month had looked so real that he didn't know if he really wanted to get rid of them anymore. That idea frightened him. º_I had been so sure up till now._º

"As long as my spell remains, those fraternal feelings will also remain." The voice said as if reading Syaoran's mind. "You may think that it would be easier to live with the feelings I gave you, but can you really continue your life knowing that there's a link between us. Knowing I am free to see and manipulate your thoughts and feelings? I don't think that it's possible to trust anyone with this kind of power over us."

Syaoran bit his lip unconsciously. He sighed. "No..." He said in a barely audible voice. It was all too confusing. The person talking to him now seemed so reasonable and willing to help him that he was starting to have doubts if it was really him who cast such a cruel spell.

"Letting go of feelings that look so real is going to be hard, but it's the only way." The voice said.

Syaoran looked up again, trying to give himself confidence in his decision. "What do I have to do then?!"

Syaoran could almost feel the puppet master smiling in satisfaction. A relived satisfaction. "From this moment on I will present you with three possibilities. I won't use my powers to change your choice, so you must think well."

Syaoran nodded. He was willing to do just about anything to finally end the month-long soul torture he had been through.

"Possibility number one: You stay in Japan and I'll tell you how you can get rid of the spell. I can't guarantee you it will be easy or quick though. Possibility number two: You go back to Hong Kong and live your life just like your mother wants you to. Eventually, your feelings and memories of Sakura will fade and I will be able to remove the spell without serious consequences. However, this may take months, years or it may never happen at all. Possibility number three, you go back to Hong Kong, I put the spell out and erase your memory of all that's happened here, thus eliminating any chance of insanity." The voice concluded. "It's your choice."

Syaoran laughed at himself at the temptation he felt of taking the third possibility. º_Run away._º He had been surprising himself at how much he wasn't caring anymore for who was this man talking to him or why did he want Sakura to be protected. It didn't matter. All that mattered was getting himself rid of the problem and the third choice was the fastest way to do that. He not only would get rid of it but, from his point of view, it would have never even existed in the first place.

'When I get nervous about something, I usually eat a lot, but when that doesn't help, the best thing to do is to face the problem straight on.'

"I've made my choice already." He said confidently.

"Good."

* * *

"I'm leaving." Touya said as he walked through his house's front door. "Bye." 

"Touya-kun, if you manage to catch up with Sakura-chan, don't forget to giver her lunch box to her." Nadeshiko said, indicating the lunch box on Touya's hand with her eyes.

Touya nodded. "Don't worry, I'll do that." He said.

"I wonder why she left so quick." Fujitaka said. "She usually waits for you before leaving."

Touya sighed. "Actually... it's usually the other way around."

"Do you think she wanted to say goodbye to her friend before going to school?" Nadeshiko questioned herself putting a finger to her chin to emphasize her thought.

Touya raised his eyebrow. "Goodbye? What are you talking about?"

Nadeshiko smiled sweetly. "Yesterday... she was all shook up remember?" Touya nodded in agreement. "Well... you were so mad at that boy that you didn't even care to listen what had he done to hurt Sakura-chan..."

Touya gasped. "You don't mean..."

Nadeshiko's smile faded a bit. "I think Sakura-chan really liked him. She was probably shocked when she found out he was going back to China."

Touya felt his face start to burn in anger. He waved his hand to his parents and turned his back to them. "Bye!" He mumbled, running for his bike, ignoring his parents' protests.

º_That brat! If I had known this last night I would have personally kicked his sorry ass!_º He pedaled furiously. º_Hang on Sakura. If the brat's not around, I'll have to protect you myself._º

* * *

Sakura closed her eyes in despair She understood now what they meant when they say that in the moment before your death everything goes slow motion. She could perfectly hear the sound of the ice breaking and Kero shouting her name. She could easily notice that she would never be able to dodge the card that was now getting closer to her. 

Her mind could think very clearly now. In that short period of time she remembered the time when she captured The Storm. At that time she had faced death just like this time. She was falling from a fatal height. Why hadn't she felt like this at that time?

º_Li-kun._º

It was Syaoran. Whenever he was around she didn't worry. She had no reason to trust him other than her dream. In real life he didn't give her that feeling of protection, but in her dream it had been so strong that she couldn't help but believe that it was real. That there was a reason for Syaoran to have a different aura in real life.

Even if Syaoran denied it, he had protected her so far, just like her dream told her it would be. It all had been great up till now and she believed more and more each day that she was safe around him. One would even have the impression that she thought he was some sort of white knight in shinning armor from a romantic fairytale, but that was not the case. Actually, Sakura wasn't sure about what her relationship with Syaoran was, though she often compared it with the mix of a teacher, a brother, a friend and a complete stranger. The only thing she had been sure about Syaoran was that he would protect her.

But then he left.

He left leaving Sakura with nothing but a shelter she believed to be real up till now, but had been proved fake with the very act of his departure. No one was going to protect her the way he did in her dream. It was childish of her to believe so in the first place, and that's why death was a possibility now. That's why she had to learn to fight on her own.

Her mind went back to that possibility. Time seemed to be going back to normal as her instincts took in. She quickly underwent all of the possible ways of trying to save herself. Dodging was impossible, her only hope would be defending herself with her staff.

She raised the staff in front of herself hoping that she would, as unlikely as it was, manage to hit The Shot. It would be just a matter of time before she knew she had succeeded or she didn't know anything at all anymore.

Time went by. Too much time. Sakura had started to wonder if this was just looking like it was taking too long or if something had actually happened, and so she opened her eyes.

There it was, the block of ice. There was small hole in the middle pointing towards her, but nothing else. The Shot was gone. As a matter of fact, its aura was gone too.

"Looking for this?"

Sakura nearly jumped in surprise. º_This voice..._º She turned her head around to the source of the voice, and there he was.

"Li-kun!"

In Syaoran's hands was The Shot card, sealed back to its card shape. Somehow, against all odds, he had saved her again. Even though he was supposedly on a plane back to Hong Kong, he showed up and did the impossible. He managed to lock the card before it hit her. And to top it all he had a smile on his face. It was more of a smirk, but nevertheless a smile.

Sakura felt two distinct and opposite feelings at that second. One was relief. The fact that Syaoran was standing there at that moment meant that her dream had to be true. He really would protect her. The other was disappointment. Though she was happy to be saved, part of her wanted to go back. She had been so confident at the last minute. She had actually decided to fight the card, and now she wouldn't know if she was really able to do it on her own.

"Li-kun... why?" She asked, stupefied.

Syaoran blushed a bit. He let go of his smile and looked away from her, trying as hard as he could not to frown. "I... I changed my mind." He said.

Sakura smiled. There was something about Syaoran that looked different. He looked more relaxed and peaceful. It bothered her however that he was still avoiding her look. She always wondered why he would look away every time he said anything to her.

That negative thought didn't last long. Sakura felt at home when she saw Kero bash Syaoran in the back of the head. It was somewhat an indicator that things were still the same.

"What are you doing here!" Kero protested. "Shouldn't you be on a plane to Hong Kong right now?"

In a swift movement, Syaoran swiped Kero in the grasp of his hand and stared down at the defenseless fur ball. "Well, I changed my mind! I'm staying." He said. "You should be thanking me for saving your skin."

Kero growled, trying to break free from Syaoran's grasp. "We were doing just fine without you!" He said, pausing between every other word as he tried to pull himself out of the boy's hand. Before Syaoran could reply Kero opened his mouth as wide as he could and bit one of his fingers.

Syaoran yelped in pain, letting go of the little beast. "Why you..."

Kero laughed. "Serves you right for being such a stuck-up." He mocked.

Sakura jumped between them. "Wait!" Was all she said.

There was a short period of time in which Kero and Syaoran stared at each other through Sakura, but with the girl between them there was nothing they could do but calm their nerves and so the tension slowly faded away.

Sakura waited patiently until Kero and Syaoran relaxed, but when they finally did, she felt uncomfortable. Now they were both expecting her to say something. She searched her brain for anything she might have to say.

"I..." She started, not really sure what was going to come out of her mouth next. She looked at Syaoran's eye and frowned when she saw him looking away the second their eyes made contact. "Are you really staying?" She finally asked with a shy enthusiasm.

"I am." Syaoran confirmed. He let out a hint of a smile when he said those words. It looked as if he was smiling to himself though. "At least for now that's my decision."

Sakura let a smile form itself in her face again. "I'm glad." She said.

Syaoran blushed again too. "Uh... It's not anything like that." He said hastily "I just want to see this whole matter through till the end."

Sakura giggled. "I know. But I'm glad anyway."

* * *

"Syaoran-sama!" Wei cried out, desperately running through the airport. They were going to miss their flight if he didn't find the boy at that instant. "Syaoran-sama!" 

The man had been searching for only a couple of minutes, but assuming that Syaoran was still there he shouldn't be too far. º_He wouldn't go too far._º

He walked in a fast pace and his gaze shifted constantly from side to side, but somehow he missed the luggage that was lying right on his path and nearly fell down when his legs collided with them.

After restoring his balance he looked down at the suitcases in front of him. "Who would leave these in the middle of... What?" At a closer inspection he could see those where their suitcases. "These should be in the plane already."

He frowned, things hadn't been going very well in the past few days and now it was all only getting worse. What had they done to deserve that sort of karma?

"What a terrible service!" He mumbled, picking up the luggage.

When he picked one of the suitcases he noticed a note falling on the floor. "Huh?" He picked the small paper. "Is this meant for us?" He looked at the text. "It's Syaoran-sama's handwriting!"

'_Wei-san, I'm not going to Hong Kong anymore. I'm sorry for the trouble, but could you please take our stuff back to the apartment? I__'__ll explain everything when I get there. Now I have something urgent that needs to be done. I'll be there to settle the rent affairs later today, but the apartment should still be ours for the whole month so I don't think there will be any problems._

_Thank you_.'

Wei couldn't help but chuckle. "His mother will be proud."

TO BE CONTINUED…

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**A/N:**_ "Oh, right. So Syaoran just shows up and saves Sakura from certain doom at the last moment in an absolutely impossible fashion right after miraculously changing his cold attitude towards her in the blink of an eye. What kind of fairytale is this? I mean… Are you really going to buy this? There's not even a reasonable explanation for anything. I bet even the writer of this junk doesn't know what's going on. He's just cornered into a bunch of unfinished plotlines and is starting to make up conclusions that lead to plot holes." Said the 'I know it all and I am qualified to give professional critiques to every single writer in this place.' type reviewer_

_There, this way I can answer your critiques before you even make them and you can spend your time writing useful stuff in your review. If the above doesn't match with what you intend to write or what you thought, skip my answer cause you may find it aggressive. The answer is simple: "Go bother some other writer you scumbag lowlife! I'll have you know that my plot is very well thought of. I wrote it on txt files dozens of times to make it clear of plot holes and to make sure it wouldn't become slow or boring, so point out something that you think I just put there because I had nothing better to put and I won't say a word anymore. And if you think that Syaoran saving Sakura is too cliché for you, you might as well go away and read something more 'innovative' or 'modern'. I for one believe that if 90 of the stories around have a guy saving a girl, it's because it brings something strong to the person who reads it, so if you can't see the beauty and the meaningfulness beyond the cliché, you can just go away and never come back." _

_Thank you for putting up with my insanity. As a matter of fact I believe that most of you who read the story up to this chapter must like something about it, enough to not jump to conclusions about how good the story is from one single event. And you know how to give proper value to a cliché here and there when it's put to good use._

_Hope it wasn't too short for you. Bye._


	16. Sakura and Syaoran, Act II, Part 2

Hello!

**A/N:**_ Thanks yet once more to all you reviewers out there. Even more thanks to those who wrote big and/or juicy reviews, full of content._

**Disclaimer: I do own CCS. Except that I don't... So yeah, it's true... That was a lie. The first sentence I mean. Whatever...**

**The Plot Thickens:** _Syaoran was contacted once more by the caster of the spell, whom he started referring to as the puppet master, just as he was about to board the plane to Hong Kong. This time, however, he seemed more willing to help Syaoran rather than manipulate him. He offered to take the spell away from Syaoran, but told him it would be impossible to just take it off, claiming that once if was lifted, Syaoran would go insane from the conflict between his memories and what he presently felt about Sakura. There were three ways to avoid that, two of which involved Syaoran going back to Hon Kong and forgetting about Sakura, either by magic or with time. The third was the only that allowed him to stay in Japan, but it was not revealed how it would work. Syaoran picked the third one, which was clearly what the puppet master wanted, and managed to save Sakura from a Clow card by a fraction of a second._

_Moving on:_

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learned to manipulate the mana are the said magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 7:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act II_

**Part 2:** _A New Page_

Touya watched as Sakura and Syaoran picked up the Clow cards that had fallen on the ground and then walked away from the shores of the lake. They were headed towards the sibling's house. ºSakura's p_robably going to put on some clean clothes before going to school._º He assumed, judging from the girl's muddy school uniform.

"See? I told you it would be alright." The woman next to him said sweetly. "He always keeps his word."

Touya frowned. "Alright?" He protested, he had a serious tone in his voice which made the woman conceal her smile involuntarily. "You call this alright? Sakura was in serious danger back there and you saved her only in the last second."

"When we first talked a month ago, didn't we tell you that it might seem as if things were out of hand?" The woman asked.

Touya sniffed sarcastically. "You're telling me that you had all of this planned?"

"Do you think that he ever had any doubt that Syaoran could do it?" The woman asked patiently. "He trusts the boy, and he proved himself to be right, didn't he? He actually expected Syaoran to turn back on his own, but when it came down to it, he needed a little push. But Syaoran turned back nevertheless."

"Well, what if he hadn't?"

"Then he would have easily and discreetly saved Sakura." The woman said. "You have to understand that while it seems to you that he only saved Sakura through a stroke of luck, he was in fact waiting until the last moment to see if Syaoran would come on his own. When he saw that there was no more possibility of that happening, he intervened and brought Syaoran here."

"I don't care what you say." Touya muttered. "I'm through with having my sister depend on that brat."

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do now. She's already accepted him, and he's already decided to protect her. You have no choice but to trust us Touya-kun."

* * *

The couple walked in silence for a couple of minutes. Sakura was smiling and Syaoran was trying to find anything to distract his gaze other than Sakura. 

Finally Kero broke the stillness. Flying around Sakura so he was staring at Syaoran again, he let out a loud forced laugh. "So, brat, I have just one doubt. How in the world did you manage to get that card? I've got to admit, you acted so fast I didn't even see you coming."

Syaoran smirked. That was something he was actually proud of telling. "I got here just in time to see that ice shattering." He said. "I knew I had to act fast and luckily I found this lying on the ground right beside me." He showed a Clow card he held in his other hand.

"The Time!" Kero exclaimed in awe.

Sakura was also surprised. "How did you get..." She stopped in the middle of the sentence as she recalled the past events. "Oh yeah, I dropped it when the card attacked me." She said, feeling the cuts in her arm sting more just for being mentioned.

Syaoran nodded. "I managed to stop you all in the last second with the powers of The Time, and then I took the chance to lock The Shot." He said, holding back a smile to himself. It felt good to tell his successful deeds, even to Kero.

Sakura was rather amazed by the story. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open. "Wow! That's amazing." She congratulated the boy.

Syaoran chuckled in amusement. "It's nothing really." He said.

In fact, he had concealed from Sakura that he had been greatly helped by the anonymous puppet master. Not only had the mysterious person sent him there in a split second by something Syaoran thought to be teleportation, he had also pointed out that the boy should use The Time card as soon as he got there. Basically Syaoran was just following instructions.

He had just one instruction left.

Syaoran looked at Sakura and opened his mouth to say something. She wasn't looking at him so he felt uncomfortable. She seemed to be very cheerful but at the same time completely unaware of his presence. "Uh... Kinomoto-san." Syaoran called.

Sakura turned her head slowly so she was facing him. He immediately turned away like he was used to. This time, however, he realized he had just felt uncomfortable when Sakura wasn't paying attention to him and felt a bit of guilt for looking the other way. Not enough to make him turn back though.

"What is it?" Sakura asked sweetly. As they had walked through Tomoeda she had gradually forgotten all about her ideas of fighting by herself. It seemed now that things were back to the way they should be.

Syaoran swallowed a big lump of saliva. That was a very important moment and a very awkward one too. He cursed the spell he had on him. It only made the moment harder.

Taking a big breath of courage he started to speak. "I was wondering if you could..." He scratched the back of his head searching for the ideal words.

"Could what?" Sakura asked after Syaoran had taken over five seconds to complete his sentence.

"Uh... Well..." º_Come on Syaoran, It__'__s the only way to get rid of the spell._º He let go of the air he was holding back. "Remember when Terada-sensei asked you to... help me?" º_Man, this feels stupid!_º

Sakura giggled. "Want me to help you with Japanese?" She asked.

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah..." He said meekly. Why was it so easy for her?

Both of them wanted the answer to be yes. Sakura had just found out how much that was a good idea to her. It somehow brought Syaoran a little closer to the Syaoran in her dream, it made her feel that he was hiding somewhere inside of the mysterious boy beside her. Walking with him now, she felt like something was different from before. Syaoran was still the same, but something in his walk, his voice and everything else felt more alive. The girl somehow knew that entire episode represented a whole new step in the search for the Clow cards.

Kero on the other hand had found Syaoran's request amusing.

"Ha, ha, ha!" He blurted out pausing distinctively between each 'ha'. "The almighty brat asking for someone to teach something to him?! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

"Kero-chan!" Sakura scolded the winged guardian. "That's not very nice!"

Kero snorted. "It's the truth."

Sakura looked at Syaoran with an apologetic look, but not before glaring menacingly at Kero. "Don't mind him." She said. "I'd really like to help you. I'm glad you asked me."

Syaoran than did something Sakura had never seen him do before and therefore was caught completely off guard. He intentionally looked at her directly in the eye and smiled.

"Thanks." Was all he said.

Sakura dazed off for a second, staring in Syaoran's eyes. Just like everything else about him, it had a new sparkle to it. It definitely looked more like the eyes from the boy in her dream.

When she fell back in reality she smiled back. º_He's friendlier._º She thought to herself.

* * *

Later at Tomoeda Elementary. The bell announced the first break of the day. 

As Terada-sensei left the classroom he crossed ways with Sakura who apologized to him politely for her delay.

"Sakura-chan, you're late." Tomoyo said as Sakura took her seat. "What happened?"

Sakura had a wide grin on her face which only made Tomoyo more and more curious. "I'm not really sure myself." Sakura answered.

Tomoyo raised a brow. "Was it a Clow card?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, but that's not the best part." She said. She was trying to make her announcement more dramatic but she wasn't very good at that kind of thing, instead she just blurted it out. "Li-kun is going to stay in Japan."

Tomoyo was genuinely surprised at that. Just as much as she had been when she found out the boy was leaving. "He is? He was there when you got the card?"

Sakura nodded again. "He helped me get the card and then he said he decided to stay here. Isn't that great?"

Tomoyo smiled, not at the news, but at Sakura's excitement "Sure." She said sincerely. "But... did he tell you why he decided to stay?"

Sakura shook her head, still smiling. "He said he'd tell me later."

"I wonder why he left in the first place." Tomoyo asked herself unconsciously bringing her pencil to her lips.

"I don't know, but I'm sure that there was something wrong. He seemed changed now. It was like he was less cold than usual."

Tomoyo giggled. "Less cold? You mean he was being deliberately nice?" She asked.

Sakura laughed along. "Hard to picture isn't it? But I mean it. There's something nicer about him."

"That's good. I think something good has happened to him." Tomoyo said. Sakura nodded in assenting. "Now tell me exactly how it all went down."

And so she did.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Syaoran's apartment. 

Wei opened the door letting a smiling Syaoran in.

"Li-san!" He said as Syaoran stepped inside the room. "What happened?"

Syaoran had a relaxed smile on his face. "A lot." He said, sitting on the couch and moaning as his body relaxed.

Wei sat on the couch across him. "Why did you change your mind all of a sudden? Did something happen?"

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah, a Clow card showed up. But that's not what made me change my mind actually." He said. What he was about to say was supposedly what was making him so cheerful, although part of his cheerfulness was the spell being happy for his mending with Sakura. "I've found a way to get rid of the spell."

Wei gasped. "You did?! In the airport?"

Syaoran nodded again. "It's a long story, but the important thing is that so long as I'm free of the spell my mother won't have any objections of me staying. That's great isn't it?"

Wei smiled. He cared deeply for Syaoran and it had hurt him to see the boy in such doubt like before, but now he seemed so determined. Even if they had wasted two plane tickets and a lot of trouble packing it was worth seeing Syaoran back to his normal self. "Of course." He assented. "But... why did you decide to stay? I thought you wanted to leave."

Syaoran hesitated. He had found himself in one of those situations when he had to choose between looking stupid because of his pride or looking stupid for swallowing his pride. "I... I wasn't running away, OK? I was just doing the prudent thing." He mumbled. "Now things changed."

"Don't worry. I know you well enough." Wei said smiling. Syaoran felt ever so stupid under that knowing smile.

"I guess I have a lot to do know." Syaoran said, changing the subject. "Gotta warn the family, register at the school again..."

"Don't worry about that." Wei said. "It's still early; right now I'd like to know exactly what happened in these past few days. Why don't you tell me what made you change your mind so fast?"

And so he did.

* * *

Hong Kong. 

Mei Ling had been surprised that morning when her aunt Yelan called her on the phone and told her that they needed to talk. She didn't remember anything similar happening in the past. When the girl protested saying that she had her private teachers waiting for her Yelan replied that it was an important subject and her classes could be delayed for one day. By that point Mei Ling was already dying of curiosity. However, she wasn't anywhere near ready for all that she was going to hear.

"What?!" Mei Ling cried out in shock. "Xiao Lang's coming back?" She asked anxiously.

Yelan nodded with a smile, but not as cheerful as Mei Ling expected her to be. "Yes, he should be here later today."

Mei Ling would have jumped up in joy at that, but she quickly picked up that Yelan hadn't told her the entire story. "What's the matter? Doesn't that mean he got all the cards?"

Yelan shook her head. "While he was in Japan, other things happened." She said. "I'm afraid things aren't just as simple as collecting the cards anymore."

There was a morbid tone on Yelan's voice that sparkled fear deep in Mei Ling's mind. "What happened?" She asked louder than necessary "Is Xiao Lang ok?"

Yelan nodded. "Yes, for now." She quickly assured the girl to calm her nerves. "That's why I told him to come back."

"But what's happening there? Does it have something to do with that other girl?" She asked emphasizing her disgust in referring to Sakura. She had read many of the letters Syaoran had sent, and it had become cleat that he mentioned the 'Kinomoto' girl much more often than she would like. More often than he mentioned herself actually.

Over time, the Sakura in her mind had developed into a stereotype of a stupid girl who depends on nothing but her looks, which, not coincidentally, was the kind of girl she hated the most. Nothing had really pointed out to that, but it had come naturally to her that any girl who was spending too much time with Syaoran in such a far away place had to be a shallow little...

"As a matter of fact, it has everything to do with Sakura." Yelan said. Mei Ling frowned and was ready to start ranting when Yelan cut her off. "But she's as much of a victim of the situation as Xiao Lang." She stated firmly.

Mei Ling snorted, earning a chuckle from Yelan. The spunky girl was probably one of the few people in Hong Kong who would have the guts to snort at her. "Anyway..." Mei Ling said, pouting. "If there's something going on, why doesn't Xiao Lang fight it? He's the best warrior around you know?"

That question instantly put an end to Yelan's carefree laugh. She sighed to herself and Mei Ling could actually feel the air around them get heavier. "Mei Ling. How can you fight against something that can attack your very will to fight?"

"What?" The girl questioned confused.

"When the book of Clow was opened, two people other than Xiao Lang and Sakura were present. Although neither of them knew that. I didn't know at the time too." She said. Her voice carried a deep regret.

Mei Ling raised a brow. "Huh?"

Yelan proceeded "These two people have an interest in Sakura's unusually powerful connection with both the Sun and the Moon. They've been watching Sakura ever since."

"What?!" Mei Ling exclaimed. "You mean they're being stalked?"

"Not stalked. Just supervised." Yelan said. "These two people needed Sakura's powers for their own purposes, but if Xiao Lang took all of the cards back here she would never find out about magic. They didn't want to show themselves either. They needed Sakura to learn how to control her powers by herself."

"Is this for real?" Mei Ling asked. The story seemed to be getting more far fetched at each word that Yelan pronounced.

"Unfortunately... yes." Yelan said in a dead serious tone. Enough to convince Mei Ling. "As I was saying. They needed to find a way to stop Xiao Lang. The most powerful one came up with the idea of putting a spell on him. It was a terribly powerful spell. With it, he could control Xiao Lang's thoughts as he well pleased. He could even make him believe he was feeling different things." She paused taking a sip of the tea that rested on the coffee table in front of them. "Their intention was to persuade Xiao Lang into not finding the book. Syaoran actually walked by the house several times and was unable to see it because of the spell. However something happened that they did not expect."

Mei Ling smirked. "That girl spread the cards all over the place." She said confidently.

"Not only that." Yelan said. "Xiao Lang unconsciously resisted the spell. He managed to find the place."

"Tee hee." Mei Ling smiled cutely at the mention of Syaoran's feat.

Yelan sighed. "It might have been better if he hadn't though." Mei Ling's face fell back in confusion. "These people saw in the situation an opportunity that was better than what they had previously planned." She said. "The cards would serve as a perfect training for Sakura to get used with her powers, and it was their intention to have her as card mistress anyway. However, she was still too inexperienced to capture the cards by herself. Xiao Lang was just what they needed. He was strong, he had a vast knowledge of the cards and he was already enchanted to do as they pleased. All they needed to do was to insist in the spell and slowly Xiao Lang succumbed. He started to develop fake fraternal feelings towards Sakura. He felt as if he had the obligation to protect her like a younger sister. That's when the trouble started getting out of hand. Xiao Lang was confused at those random thoughts and feelings that came to him and it took him quite a while to realize what was going on. In the past month Syaoran has been leading a very troubled life."

Mei Ling was shocked. Plain stupefied. "But... Can't he do a thing about these people?"

Yelan shook her head solemnly "They are too powerful Mei Ling. I had to opt between letting my son run away or letting him not be my real son. You see why he is returning now?"

Mei Ling frowned. She obviously didn't agree with Yelan. "Xiao Lang can do this!" She cried. "What will happen if he comes back? He'll have failed his trial and... He can't fail!" Tears started forming in the girl's eyes.

Yelan put a comforting hand on Mei Ling's forehead. "Hush." She said softly. Mei Ling swallowed her tears and looked up at her aunt. Her calmness revealed that she hadn't said everything yet. "You see... I don't believe Xiao Lang is coming back today."

"W-what?" Mei Ling asked between meek sobs.

"I believe he will stay in Japan and try to solve the problem by himself." She said and then with a wink she added. "He's just like you after all."

Mei Ling blushed at that, with a shy smile. "Yeah... I guess he is." She said, wiping the tears that were starting to form in her eyes.

"And that's the reason I called you here. These next few days will be full of important changes and I think you have the right to know what is going on with Xiao Lang." She said smiling.

Mei Ling smiled widely now. "Thank you." She said. "I'm glad you told me."

Yelan pulled herself back up. "There's one more thing you should know." She said. "Xiao Lang is unaware of some of the things I told you. I had to find a lot of this by myself and I think it would be best if he did the same."

Mei Ling made an inquisitive look. "What do you mean find out by yourself?"

Yelan giggled. "When you've studied magic for such a long time you learn that there are many ways to find things you don't know."

Mei Ling was definitely not satisfied with that answer, but she knew better than to insist in a subject with Yelan. She was and had been for as long as Mei Ling could remember a very mysterious woman.

"Oh..." Yelan said as if she had just remembered something. "Please come by here after you're done with your practice. I may have a gift for you then."

Mei Ling smiled. The word gift had a special effect over children. Even if you were someone like Mei Ling who, despite some behavior issues, was very smart and mature for her age. "What kind of gift?" She asked anxiously.

"It's a surprise."

TO BE CONTINUED...

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**A/N:**_ Oooh. Yelan knows more than we thought. And I for one think she hasn't told Mei Ling everything she knows. I mean... What the hell do these people want from Sakura anyway?_

_I know already. But I won't tell you so soon. Just take notice that Yelan seems to be in contact with the puppet master and talks to Mei Ling as if she isn't. I mean... she's lying to everybody. Why? Keep asking questions like that and you might start to notice some clues to the secrets of the story._

_Bye!_


	17. Sakura and Syaoran, Act II, Part 3

Fala, blza? (Brazilian internet language.)

**A/N: **_I don't have anything to say really... I guess I should apologize for being a week late. Especially since the only reason I was late was my complete lack of not laziness. Thanks for the reviews once more. (Not many, but at least I got a couple of juicy ones.)_

**Disclaimer: Think of CCS as a big sack of potatoes. CLAMP would be the sack and I would be the shrimp, which means I have nothing to do with the potatoes whatsoever.**

**The Plot Thickens:** _After saving Sakura from the shot, Syaoran seemed a bit changed. Little did Sakura know that he was already on his pursuit for the lifting of the spell that tormented him. She didn't really care though, since this slightly friendlier Syaoran resembled even more the boy in her dream, which meant she didn't have to fight by herself anymore. Touya, on the other hand, was unhappy with how close Sakura had gotten to danger. He started to have second thoughts on leaving Sakura's protection up to Syaoran, despite the mysterious duo of puppet masters assuring him that everything was still under control. Meanwhile, In Hong Kong, Yelan revealed some secrets about the situation to Mei Ling. Secrets that even Syaoran didn't know about, like how and why Syaoran got the spell and the fact that the puppet masters have as a final goal something that needs Sakura's magic and needs her to get experience before doing it. However, she omitted the means she used to learn this sort of information, and whether she knows or not what the puppet masters' final goal is._

_Moving on:_

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking __**(Pay attention here! There's no more circle thingies around the thoughts! Just Italics now.)**_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 7:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act II_

**Part 3:** _Sakura's Second Try_

Sakura let herself relax as she entered the bathtub. It had been a tiring day and a bath was all that she'd been waiting for.

In that day, she had gone from crying in fear on her bed, to facing her fear, to feeling maybe a bit too overconfident, then being face to face with death and then all of a sudden she wasn't sure what she was feeling anymore. It was only now, in her own little bathtub world, that she took the time to think about the day's events.

She knew that Syaoran staying was a good thing. He could protect her after all, so there was nothing to fear. However that feeling of confidence, that will to fight by herself had stayed somewhere in her mind and she couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if the boy hadn't shown up.

Could she have dodged the Shot? Or maybe deflected it? Seeing how desperate she'd been when fighting by herself showed her how she relied on him to the point of being unable to act on her own.

She sank her head in the hot water for a couple of seconds and let her mind release those thoughts even if just for a brief moment. When they came back they were easier to understand. She knew what she had to do.

Syaoran was staying, but she couldn't depend on him like she had been until now. She had to prove to herself that she could do things by herself. He wasn't her guardian or anything.

"That's it!" She said to her confident self. "I gotta learn to fight too. Next time we face a card I'll show Li-kun that I can handle it myself."

* * *

Syaoran reentered his apartment for the second time that day, sporting the same smile as last time. This time Wei was following him. 

"The people at the school were very kind weren't they?" Wei commented.

Syaoran nodded. "I thought we'd have to spend the whole day there signing forms and stuff like that."

"Indeed, that was very fortunate." Wei said. "Now we have all the time we need to settle other affairs."

Syaoran cringed. He'd been delaying that part for a while. First with the excuse that he needed some time to rest, then the school, but now he had no more excuses. "Shall we unpack then?" He asked with a goofy smile on, knowing that it wouldn't work.

Wei chuckled. "I believe there's something more important for you to do now."

"I'll write her a letter!" He appealed.

"And let her worry for half the week about what's happened?" Wei asked raising a brow. "You know she'll call us here as soon as she finds out we didn't take the plane."

"But..." Syaoran searched his mind for an argument. It had been relatively easy making his decision of staying when compared to telling his mother he had deliberately disobeyed her order.

"I'm sure she'll understand." Wei said. "She didn't know back then that such an opportunity had been presented to you."

Syaoran sighed. "Yeah... I guess you're right."

* * *

Sakura entered her room wearing casual clothing but with a towel still around her hair. 

Kero was, as usual, playing her video-game and breaking all of her high scores. That wasn't much of a feat since Sakura barely ever played it, but Kero was pretty sure he was above average level.

"Hey there!" He said not taking his eyes off the screen.

Sakura unwrapped the towel and dropped it on her bed. She proceeded to dry and comb her hair, entertaining herself by watching Kero's efforts to reach all of the buttons on the controller. He looked like some sort of cartoon character.

After she was done with her hair she laid down on her bed. Her face formed an inward smile. "Kero-chan." She called softly.

"What?" Kero answer roughly, due to the harsh movements he was doing.

"How do you think I'm doing so far?" She asked, turning her head to face the guardian. She was reminded of Syaoran when Kero started talking without looking at her, but she knew that with Kero, it wasn't her that was driving his gaze away but the video-game that drew it in.

"What do you mean?" He asked, though it didn't sound as if he was interested in whatever Sakura had to say.

"In getting the cards." Sakura answered. "Do you think I'm good at it?"

"Sure." Kero answered absentmindedly. "You're doing fine."

Sakura frowned. "Kero-chan!" She called louder.

"What?" Kero said in the same uninterested tone as before.

"You're not paying any attention!" the girl protested.

Kero sighed. He soon concluded it would be a better idea to pause the game before Sakura did something cruel, like turning off the TV or even unplugging the console like she had done once.

"Fine!" He said impatiently. "What is it?"

Sakura was still frowning, and she found out that her question couldn't really be done with a frown on. It just didn't match. So, she relaxed her face. "I want to know if you think I'm a good card captor."

Kero chuckled, much to Sakura's embarrassment. She felt childish.

"Don't worry Sakura." He said, holding back his chuckles. "I know you're worried about what happened today, but that has nothing to do with it. You're still very young and you've just found out about magic. It's only natural that the brat can do all of that stuff. He's been training ever since he was born."

"But how can I be the mistress of the cards if..."

"You got it all wrong." Kero assured her. "Magical skills are important if you want to control a card, but the most important thing of all isn't that. It's a much rarer quality. The one I'm supposed to judge."

"And what is it?"

"That's something you have to find out by yourself."

Sakura blinked in confusion. "By myself?"

Kero nodded. "I'm sure you'll find your answer in time." He said with a smile. "But in the meantime, don't worry yourself over things like that."

Sakura nodded with a smile. "Thanks Kero-chan." She said.

"Think nothing of it." Kero arrogantly replied. "But there's nothing wrong in wanting to improve yourself, you know?" Kero continued. "If you want to become a better magician all you have to do is keep practicing. You've sure improved a lot since I met you."

"Right!" Sakura said. "I'll try my best to become a good card mistress."

Kero made the closest movement to a thumbs-up his paws allowed him to make. "That's the spirit."

_As far as I'm concerned she's already got what it takes to be our mistress._ He told himself.

* * *

"Hello, mother?" 

"Xiao Lang! Where are you?"

"I'm... I'm still in Tokyo."

Sigh. "I thought so."

"I'm really sorry, but other things happened. I have a good reason for staying."

Silence.

"Other things?"

"I... I talked with the man who cast the spell."

"You did?"

"He came to me. Twice."

"And what did he want?"

"He said he needed me to stay here. He also said that he would take the spell off."

"What?! Is that true?"

"Yes. He said that the fastest... the best way to remove it was if I stayed here. If I get rid of the spell there's no reason why I shouldn't stay right?"

"Yes..." Pause. "I'm really glad to hear this. I'm sure that father and mother will be happy too."

Silence.

"Well... that's about it. I'm sorry to cause so much trouble."

"Don't worry. It wasn't your fault." Pause. "Good luck with the rest of the cards. Try not to worry too much about this mysterious man for now. If he's telling the truth you should probably focus on the cards rather than him."

"Right. I'll write to tell you what happened in more details. Bye mother."

"Goodbye."

Syaoran put the telephone back on its place. "That was easier than I had thought."

* * *

The next day went by as quickly as it came. Syaoran didn't attend to school, which disappointed Sakura and Tomoyo. They later found out he was only going to attend from the next week onwards. 

Sakura had wished that another card would appear that morning. She had been anxious to put herself to the test. But such a thing didn't happen. Instead she had a completely normal day at school, as if Syaoran had never even come to Japan in the first place.

It was only when returning home from her cheerleading practice that things changed.

Sakura was taking her usual route back home, completely unaware of the figure that stalked her in the shadows. Its red eyes watched Sakura's every move as it jumped swiftly from behind a postbox to the top of a tree and then inside a bush.

The noise it made whilst hiding in the bush was enough to draw Sakura's attention. The girl immediately turned her head around. After looking to each side twice with caution and finding nothing, she decided it was either nothing of importance or nothing at all.

The figure continued its sneaky pursue of the girl, following her through several different streets of Tomoeda. Every now and then Sakura would turn feeling as if she was being watched, but she saw nothing. As a matter of fact she hadn't seen anyone at all in her whole walk, which only increased the sensation of being followed.

_Just keep going Sakura._ She told herself as she started skating faster. _It's just in your mind._

Sakura wouldn't have been so scared that day if she had simply turned around and seen a card or a monster, but her situation had led her to think of a dreadful possibility that scared her much more than any monster.

_It's not a ghost, It's not a ghost, It's definitely not a ghost!_ She yelled in her mind, skating even faster. _Just because all these usually crowded streets are empty, noises are coming from apparently nowhere and you're getting goose bumps it doesn't mean there's actually a..._

By the time she reached the Penguin park she was absolutely sure she wasn't alone, and as she had anticipated, the park was completely deserted. Now that there weren't even houses around, whatever was stalking her would have the perfect opportunity to make its move. She was sure she could feel it getting closer but didn't dare look back. Instead she reached for the small key hanging on her neck and held it tight, ready to use it if necessary.

Her built up nervousness was released in a wave of adrenalin when she felt an aura manifest behind her. _It's a Clow card_º Without thinking twice she spun her body around so she was facing the aura, but there was nothing there. "Release!" She shouted, letting her staff grow to its true form.

Relieved that it wasn't a ghost after all she felt a little extra confidence building up. She removed her skates quickly as they might get in the way of a fight and, walking back a couple of feet through the path she had come from, she looked around for the exact source of the aura, and there, from behind a bush, the card showed itself.

Sakura promptly put herself in an instinctive battle position when she saw the figure jump out of the bush; however, when the creature landed on the cemented floor in front of her she couldn't help but think something was wrong.

"It's a..." She walked a few steps closer, slowly. "What's this? A bunny?" She questioned nobody in particular, frowning in annoyed confusion.

Indeed, it was a strange card. All the cards Sakura had seen so far looked like humans, animals or an object that had something to do with it's name, however, the creature standing in front of her didn't look like anything she had ever seen. Its ears and feet were long like a rabbit's, but its body didn't resemble one at all. It had a long tail that was probably twice its size, which wasn't much. All of that covered in a big fluffy pink fur. Somehow that combination didn't look as cute as it might sound, specially due to the card's deep red eyes that added a sinister effect to its expression.

Sakura wasn't sure if the card was dangerous or not. It was just standing there, staring at her, but at the same time it looked angry it also looked completely harmless.

And then it jumped. And it was a real high jump for a creature so small. It could have jumped over four or five Sakuras, one on top of the other, easily.

Sakura watched as it passed over her head and landed on the other side where it started jumping in the same spot, this time in short and quick leaps. "Hoe? Is it trying to tell me something?"

All of a sudden the card turned its back on Sakura and started running away. Or jumping away rather.

"Wait!" Sakura shouted, running after the card. It was much faster than her and soon it became quite obvious that she would never reach it on foot. She took her cards from her pocket. "Fly!"

She did the maneuver of jumping off the ground that had already become instinctive to her and flew after the strange card. It wasn't easy to keep up with it, as it constantly jumped through the trees around Penguin Park with amazing agility. Sakura tried to follow it as closely as she could, but she kept getting the feeling the card was only playing with her. Whenever she managed to get closer, it would just get faster. It seemed nearly impossible to surprise it too, even though they were flying and jumping around in circles.

At one point Sakura saw it jump over the Penguin King and followed suit, but when she got to the other side of the giant toy the card had already escaped somewhere. She tried circling the park a bit in search of its tracks but didn't find anything. Its aura was slowly disappearing too and eventually Sakura was left with no means of finding it again. "It got away..." She stated in defeat.

The girl sighed as she landed. She had been wanting so bad to prove she could handle a card on her own and when the opportunity showed itself she let it slip away. "Maybe I need more training after all." She told herself gloomily.

* * *

"I'm home!" Sakura announced, closing the door behind her. There was no answer. "Hello?" No answer again. She sighed. _Of course, tou-san's got a meeting at the college and kaa-san is modeling for that magazine today._

After taking her skates off, she ran up the stairs to her room, eager to tell Kero about her meeting. They would probably go back to the park and Kero would find a way of luring the card out. Of course, that meant Tomoyo would want her to dress up again when she heard about it, and Syaoran... Just this time she wanted to try it without his help.

She slammed her door open, bursting in the room. "Kero-chan! I met a Clow ca... Kero-chan?" Kero was nowhere to be seen. The TV was on and a video game was paused. "Hoe? I've never seen Kero-chan leave a game unfinished for anything."

She looked all around the room, even searching her drawers, but there was no trace of the guardian. "Where could he have gone to?" Sakura wondered.

After giving another thorough check in her room, she decided to search the house. It was as empty so Kero might have gone to the kitchen.

"Kero-chan!" She called as she walked down the stairs. There was no answer. He wasn't in the kitchen either and now Sakura was starting to worry.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Penguin Park. 

The weird Clow card walked out of its hiding spot. It had gotten tired of waiting to be found. It excitedly looked around for its chaser to mock the loser, and then it would fight the girl properly, after all it had been long since it had seen such a big source of mana. It would be a waste to merely play with it.

The card looked around itself, but the girl was nowhere to be found. She had run away in the middle of their game. That was unforgivable. Letting its aura flare up it started stomping on the ground as hard as it could. It would find her and teach her a lesson for walking out on their game.

* * *

Kero had spent the past few minutes flying through Tomoeda, knowing his destination well. 

He had been wondering throughout that day exactly what had made Syaoran change his mind out of the blue like that. He had suspected from the beginning that his family would summon him back upon hearing of the cards' new mistress, but it didn't make any sense for him to want to go back and then change his mind at the last minute.

It was only then that Kero remembered the spell. It had been a mystery to them for a long time and, though Syaoran had denied his knowledge of the spell's nature, Kero had always known the boy was still hiding something.

The guardian had speculated in the past few minutes that the spell was probably the real reason for the boy to be going away in the first place. After all, he had been very eager to get the cards up until that day. If that was the case, his change of heart about his decision probably meant something new had come up involving the spell.

Kero didn't think twice before flying out the window and going straight to Syaoran's place. He needed some answers. Little did he know how many new questions would come up when he reached his destination.

There, on the private roof section of his apartment, was Syaoran waving his sword around like he had been so many times before. Kero didn't bother to wait for him to stop. He landed on the small table with a parasol and called out for the boy.

"Hey brat!"

Syaoran ignored him, much to his disappointment. He was expecting to surprise him, but it was quite clear that the boy had spotted him a mile away.

"Alright, I'll let you finish your practice." Kero said. He immediately turned his attention to the glass full of lemonade beside him. "Ah... Lemonade." Putting his mouth around the straw he sucked the glass dry in a matter of seconds and got hit in the back of the head by Syaoran even faster.

Syaoran returned his sword to its talisman shape. "What's your problem?"

Kero moaned in pain, rubbing the back of his head. "I was thirsty."

Syaoran glared at him. "And you came all the way up here because it was the easiest way to get a drink?" He asked sarcastically.

Kero snorted. "For your information, you're the one to blame for me being here." He proclaimed, pointing to Syaoran dramatically

Syaoran raised a brow. "And how is that?"

Kero smirked. "I've been thinking about your little problem." He said. "And I think there's something about this spell that you're not telling me."

Syaoran frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I think you know exactly what this spell does, and I also think you've found out how to get rid of it, and that's why you gave up running away." Kero stated with confidence pressing his face against Syaoran's in a deep stare.

Syaoran froze. The guardian had him. He had gotten everything right and he didn't need Syaoran's confirmation to know it. _How did he find that out?_ He asked himself.

But then he relaxed. He didn't have anything to hide anymore, right? The only one he couldn't tell the truth to yet was Sakura. He had handled the situation pretty well and that was nothing to be hiding from Kero. "Right. That's true." He said firmly. He wasn't about to loose his composure in front of Kero.

Kero made a thinking pose. "That means you must know something about the nature of the spell too. I mean, what kind of spell is it?"

Syaoran sighed. "Alright, I'll tell you everything."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:**_ Just two things to say in my defense before you review. First, I'm sorry, but Mei Ling will appear again soon. There just wasn't any way I could put her here. Second: I know that the current date on the story is July 13__th__ and that's supposed to be Syaoran's birthday, but let's say: "__**What if**__ Syaoran's birthday wasn't July 13__th__?" Yes, so, as you see, it was another deliberate change. I didn't forget about the guy's birthday. When is it now? Wait and see. _

_Bye! See ya next chapter._

_-This chapter was edited by Meredith Summer._


	18. Sakura and Syaoran, Act II, Part 4

Yo!

**A/N: **_Thank you! Thank you! This is the part where I bow and you guys throw flowers and/or money (Preferably money.) at me while yelling "Bravo! Bravo!"_

_Or so it would be if this wasn't the internet and I had just won the Mr. Universe award. (Is there even such a thing?)_

_But I digress, as usual. Just be aware that I'm thankful again and I'll start doing my thing._

**Disclaimer: na nrAgmaa: d wIC'o Sto nCn. **

**The Plot Thickens:** _Syaoran knew it was too good to be true that his mother took his decision to saty in Japan very well. His fortune proved to have something else reserve to torment him. After some meditating about his spell, Kero deducted a couple of things that Syaoran had kept a secret. The guardian made him confess that he knew the nature of the spell and he had found a way to get rid of it. Meanwhile, Sakura had been facing a personal conflict. After being saved by Syaoran once again she couldn't help but wonder if she would have been able to fight the Shot by herself. Much to her disappointment, when she finally met a new card to test herself the card ran away, or rather, tried to play hide and seek with her. Sakura figured she had lost the card and went back home to ask Kero for a way to find it again, but the card took it personally that she didn't finish the "game" they had started. Sakura couldn't find Kero either, as he was questioning Syaoran at the moment. She'd have to look for the card herself, and she didn't even know how she had angered it. _

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 7:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act II_

**Part 4:** Third Try is a Charm.

Sakura fidgeted uncomfortably in her bunny suit. For something that had been made exclusively for her, it didn't feel too comfortable. Not because it itched, or because it wasn't well crafted. It was uncomfortable simply because it was a bunny suit in a public park.

"Tomoyo-chan, I don't think it will show up." She said, blushing tremendously.

Tomoyo was circling Sakura with her camera as they walked between the trees of the park. Luckily, there wasn't a living soul around. "Of course it will, Sakura-chan. You should know by now that Clow Cards are always after you. If it's still here it will show up."

"But I'm not even sure it's here." She cried in her defense.

"But when you called me you said you'd felt it's aura around here." Tomoyo replied.

Sakura sighed. "I know, but it was just for a few seconds, and the reason I called you was because I was looking for Kero-chan, not the card. I just happened to feel its aura while we were talking."

Tomoyo put her camera down. She looked at her friend in the eye. Sakura knew she was doing her mind reading thing. Indeed her answer got Sakura exactly where she didn't expect. "Do you really want to go looking for Kero-chan?"

Sakura blushed. She really didn't want Kero to show up. It had a lot of meaning to her getting that card unassisted "I... well, I wanted to capture this card on my own actually. You know, just to know how I'm doing by myself." She said, laughing nervously as if it wasn't a big deal. "But it's still important to know where Kero-chan's gone."

Tomoyo nodded. "But the card's more urgent. Isn't Kero-chan always telling you to focus on the cards?" She asked, not really needing an answer. "I mean, when you told me about your chase this afternoon you sounded so excited for doing it by yourself, I thought you wanted to finish this on your own too."

Sakura rubbed the back of her head, ashamed. "I'm sorry Tomoyo-chan. It's silly, but I really wanted to know if I can fight without Kero-chan's or Li-kun's help."

Tomoyo smiled gently. "It's not silly Sakura-chan. I think it's very important to have confidence in yourself too."

Sakura smiled back, embarrassed "Thanks."

They both shared meaningful smiles to each other for a second but were interrupted by a noise coming from a nearby tree.

"What was that?" Tomoyo asked, waving her camera around in search of the source of the sound.

Sakura took a battle stance. "It's that card!" She announced. "I'm sure of it!"

Indeed, out of the tree jumped out the small bunny-like creature. This time however its eyes were different. They were full of anger and resentment and were staring straight at Sakura, burying deep in to her soul.

Sakura felt a shiver run down her spine. "It looks angry." Tomoyo said, taking a few steps back. "Good luck Sakura-chan."

Sakura gulped loudly. "Thanks." She said.

And so the battle began. This time Sakura knew it would be different. The card wasn't giving chase like before. It was trying to chase her, but she wouldn't run.

"Windy!" She shouted just as the card made its first move. A strong gust of magic wind flew out of her wand, taking the shape of a woman linked to a cyclone through her legs. The cyclone involved the little creature in midair and successfully changed its course, sending it flying to the ground roughly. "Got it!" Sakura yelled confidently.

She gasped when the card jumped back to its feet, still in one piece. This time even angrier. She didn't even have time to use another card. The creature made its next attack.

Between its antenna-like ears, sparkles started forming and then, before she could understand what kind of sparkles those were, they were flying towards her. She instinctively jumped to the side and was glad she did so. In the spot where she'd been standing there was nothing but burnt grass and a tiny depression on the earth.

Thinking quickly, she took out another card from her pocket. "Thunder!" She cried.

A Lightning bolt flew directly towards the wild card, but it was too quick and jumped out of its way. Immediately it jumped towards Sakura in an attempt to ram her down, but she was quick too and managed to summon protection.

"Shield!" She shouted. When the wild card hit the magical shield around her, it was paralyzed in mid air for a second, having weird seizures, and then was sent flying away through several feet in the air.

Sakura observed the phenomena amazed. _If the Lightning and the Windy didn__'__t work well, and the Shield was so effective, it must be a Moon Card._ She concluded. "Alright! That means..." She took out another card. "I just have to wait for the right moment."

The card pulled itself up again and stared intently at Sakura, who had the guts to stare back this time. After a moment of tension the card made its next move. It jumped at Sakura again.

_That's it!_ She thought. "Wood!"

Out of the ground, strong roots came out and involved the creature, completely immobilizing it. It tried to break free but its efforts were useless against the thick plants. Still, its trashing got wilder every second that passed.

Sakura smiled. "I did it!" She cried in joy, making a victory sign to Tomoyo's camera.

Tomoyo came out of her hiding place and ran to Sakura's side. "Well done Sakura-chan. Now all that's left to do is lock it."

"Right!"

* * *

Syaoran ran down the street in a hurry, Kero flying right beside him. 

"Their auras are getting stronger." Kero stated "The fight must be getting tense." He said.

"Damn it!" Syaoran cursed. "We got to get there quick. If the Moon comes out, that card will be too strong for Kinomoto-san to handle on her own."

And so they ran as fast as their feet allowed them towards the Penguin Park. It didn't take too long to cover the whole way, but as time passed the card's aura only got more intense. When they got there they were quite surprised.

"Sakura! Tomoyo!" Kero shouted as he flew to the girl's side. The first thing he noticed was obviously Sakura's strange outfit, which was easily explained by Tomoyo and her camera a few feet away. The second thing was that The Jump card was trapped in a cage made out of roots right beside them. "You got it trapped!" He proclaimed with excitement

Sakura giggled, she felt very energetic and anxious. "I did, didn't I?" She looked behind Kero and saw Syaoran walking slowly towards them, looking at the trapped card with curiosity. "Li-kun!" She called, waving her hand in the air. "I got it! I beat the card." She announced.

Syaoran smiled, but inside he felt guilty for wanting to have captured the card himself and wanting to scold Sakura for doing something dangerous on her own. He accurately accounted all that protectiveness to the spell, and once again reminded himself that his primary goal was to free himself of those bonds. "Well done." He said, looking at the creature that was desperately trying to break free.

Kero nodded slowly. "It was a good idea to use The Wood. You did very well." He congratulated the girl, who was blushing from so much flattering, carefully positioning himself in front of the camera and making a wise master-like face. "Now finish what you've begun." He said dramatically.

Sakura nodded. "Right." She faced the card and raised her rod up above her head. "Return to the shape you are meant to... Hoe?!" She took two steps back. "What's going on?"

The Jump had suddenly doubled its size somehow. The little wood trap was scarcely enough to contain his large body and it soon gave out. The roots broke, leaving the card free.

"It's the Moon!" Kero shouted. "At night the Moon Cards get stronger, especially at full Moon."

Much to their misfortune, it was a night of full Moon, and the Sun was already disappearing. The card was starting to go berserk, jumping around aimlessly and continuously growing in size.

"What do we do?" Tomoyo asked, taking steps back to put herself out of the danger zone.

Sakura felt her heart jump for a second and nearly gave way to panic, but Syaoran's presence was still reassuring. Knowing he was there to fight too was comforting.

_But I gotta do this on my own._ She reminded herself. The whole objective of that fight was not to depend on Syaoran. _Alright! Let's do this Sakura!_ She allowed herself two seconds to sort her thoughts and then, sure about her choice, she turned to Syaoran.

"Li-kun, please take care of Tomoyo-chan, I'll handle the card!" She said, and without giving time for Syaoran to protest she took out her deck from her pocket. "Fly!"

Syaoran tried to answer Sakura's request but was left staring at the air, and feeling amazingly pathetic. _Did she just tell me to stay back?_ He could almost feel his pride overcoming the spell, but that didn't change the fact that he couldn't help himself but to get worried sick over Sakura as she flew towards the now fifteen feet tall creature. "Damn it!" He muttered, summoning his sword. "I can't just watch her fight."

Kero was equally surprised by Sakura's determination, but in a positive way. He had seen that coming judging from Sakura's recent behavior, but he expected her to be a bit more hesitant when actually facing danger. "Get it Sakura!" He cheered, flying high to observe the battle. He decided to let Sakura figure out a way to beat the card by herself, unless things got too serious. She had done quite well fighting it so far after all.

Sakura circled the big creature like an annoying little bug, but succeeded in getting it confused. It couldn't really follow Sakura with its eyes. Obviously its size growth had affected its agility. Sakura thought that might work to her advantage.

When it finally got tired of spinning around, the card let out a weird, sharp roar that hurt Sakura's ears and proceeded to attack her with his antenna sparkles again, only this time he didn't bother to aim, instead he started shooting aimlessly in every direction, hitting mostly the grass and a few trees.

Sakura instantly though of her friend. "Tomoyo-chan!" She turned around quickly but was relieved to see that Syaoran was raising some kind of magic barrier with his sword to protect the girl and himself from the sparks.

"It's alright!" Syaoran shouted. "Worry about yourself!"

"Thanks!" Sakura yelled in response. She turned her attention back to the giant card. "You were easier to deal with when you were small." She said.

The card was still shooting aimlessly but none of the beams were getting much close to Sakura. She only had to dodge one every ten seconds or so, which gave her more than enough time to think her strategy.

"I hope this works." She said to herself, taking out a card from her pocket and flying back to the ground. "Storm." She shouted.

"Storm?" Kero asked himself. _Is she using a Moon Card because it will be more powerful at night? But she knows that Moon Cards aren__'__t effective against other Moon Cards. And the Storm isn__'__t even a card made for battle. _Down at the ground, Syaoran was thinking pretty much the same thing.

Big dark clouds started forming in the sky above them and soon, a heavy rain dropped above their heads, followed by strong thunder. The card was confused by Sakura's useless choice of action, but as the first few drops of water hit its fur, it felt the effects of the attack. It suddenly started loosing its size again, getting smaller and smaller, till it was back to its original size. Sakura thought it was even smaller than before actually.

"It worked!" She cried in excitement. Kero and Syaoran were watching with their mouths hanging open. Neither of them had any idea of what had just happened.

Sakura didn't have time to give out explanations. The card was still free and still berserk. This time however, she knew exactly how to stop it. "Wood!" She shouted just as the card jumped in her direction and an exact reprisal of the recent event occurred. The card was once again trapped and helpless.

The other three were completely drawn into the battle, amazed with Sakura's competence. She seemed like another person when compared to the clumsy, innocent girl they knew.

"Return to the shape you are meant to be in, Clow Card!" The card promptly obeyed the command, flying straight to Sakura's hand once locked back. Sakura looked at the picture on the card. Though it represented the same creature she had been fighting, it looked much more peaceful on the card, and had some beauty to it when compared to the bizarre beast it had been so far. She smiled, putting the card down. "The Jump... My first deserved card." She said to herself.

* * *

It wouldn't surprise Syaoran if he was told right then that they were being watched by the puppet masters. He had grown accustomed to that idea. 

"She did very well." The tall one said.

"Indeed, I guess it really was about time I let him free of the spell."

"Don't you think you're showing yourself too much? Your original intention was to go through all this unperceived."

"I guess I was a fool to think that such a thing was possible. But it's ok so long as they don't know the true purpose of all this."

"How much longer will it take for him to be ready? To get rid of the spell I mean."

"Not much, maybe with a little push we can wrap this case in a matter of days."

"And then?"

"Then I'll stop helping them so much."

"That's better."

* * *

"Achoo!" Sakura and Syaoran sneezed in unison. 

"I think someone's talking about us." Sakura said jokingly, rubbing her nose.

Syaoran raised a brow. "Or maybe it's this rain of yours that gave us a cold." He said bluntly while turning off his magic barrier.

Tomoyo put her camera down and pressed the off button. "That must have been the greatest video so far." She ran to Sakura's side. "You were amazing Sakura-chan. Breathtaking." She said, holding the girls hands.

Kero also flew to their side. "Yeah, you really were impressive Sakura." He said. "But tell me, how did you shrink the card back? The Storm isn't even a Sun card. It shouldn't be so effective against another Moon card."

Sakura giggled. "Didn't you figure it out?" Kero's face was blank. "I blocked the Moon's energy with the magic cloud." She said proudly.

Kero smirked. "Wow, amazing!" He exclaimed, honestly impressed.

Sakura was overflowing with confidence. From now on it didn't matter how things turned out. She had proved she could fight on her own. And even if she didn't fight a single battle by herself for the rest of her life, she would still be satisfied to know she could.

Syaoran walked towards them too, completing the group. He didn't say anything, but he exchanged a meaningful smile with Sakura that made his ego melt away. He had to tell her, she had the right to know.

**ººººFLASHBACKºººº**

"And so I said I wanted to stay here." Syaoran told Kero. Now the secret was out.

Kero had given up his provocative tone and was now in his serious self, which made Syaoran wonder how the same being could look so respectful now and so stupid in other times.

"And this person, hasn't he given any hints about his identity?" Kero asked, even though Syaoran had already said before that the answer was no.

"No." The boy repeated. "But that's not important. The important thing is that he wants to use us and the Clow cards for something. More specifically, he wants to use Kinomoto-san, and I'm not sure if his intentions are good."

Kero sighed. "Right, we'll have to tell Sakura about this."

Syaoran blushed. "I... I'm not sure if I should." He said, trying to sound angry at the suggestion rather than embarrassed

Kero chuckled at the boy's immaturity. He could be quite dense sometimes. "Listen, this isn't just about you. For all we know, Sakura might be in danger and she has to know what she's going against."

"But she might be scared, or she might..." He couldn't find another bad side to Kero's suggestion. The truth was, Kero was right. The only reason he hadn't told Sakura so far was because of his pride and shyness.

They stared at each other for two seconds, talking without words. Finally Syaoran gave in. "Fine." He said, with a sigh. "I'll tell her."

Kero smiled. "Good, I'll..." He stopped midway into the sentence. "Huh? Do you feel this?"

"A Clow card!"

And so they both rushed after the card.

**ººººEND OF FLASHBACKºººº**

Syaoran took a deep breath.

"Kinomoto-san, there's something I've gotta tell you." He said out of the blue, drawing curiosity from Sakura and Tomoyo.

"Hoe? What is it?" Sakura asked with an innocent curiosity. Tomoyo discreetly turned her camera back on.

Syaoran was clearly dying of embarrassment and cursing himself for going to this point of no return, but Sakura still couldn't tell. Tomoyo wondered which one was denser.

"There's something I've been... I'm..." Syaoran stopped dead in his tracks. "A Clow card!"

Sakura was confused. "You're a Clow card?"

Syaoran didn't have time to explain himself. Before any of them could understand what was happening, a weird shaped creature that was unrecognizable due to its amazing speed jumped out of somewhere and bounced of Sakura's chest. Syaoran didn't see Sakura faint immediately after being hit because the creature attacked him too, and after feeling a strong pressure on his chest, the air was pushed out of his lungs and all turned black.

* * *

All was white. Was he back at the puppet master's white fog? 

No, he was feeling heavy.

As a matter of fact he was feeling lighter than usual, but in the fog he was much lighter than that. In the fog he didn't have any weight at all.

"Sakura-chan, are you OK?" He heard someone call. It was a familiar voice.

As he opened his eyes he understood that all the white came from a lamp directly above his head mixed with his fuzzy view. It was a lamppost, from the Penguin Park. He was still there. It was rather chilly and he trembled when he felt the wind against his bare, wet arms.

_I should have put long sleeves on._

"Are you awake?" The voice asked. It was talking to Sakura, so that probably meant she was still around too. He slowly sat up and looked around himself.

Tomoyo was kneeling beside the bench he was lying on. Upon seeing him she smiled. "You're alright." She said, sighing in relief.

Syaoran looked around him for any trace of Sakura, but she was nowhere to be found. Kero was flying right beside him however.

"You sure slept a lot. You've been out for about fifteen minutes. I was starting to think there was something seriously wrong."

_But I did have long sleeves on._

Syaoran ignored him, he was focused on finding Sakura, and so he did the most logic thing to do. He asked them.

He also regretted ever opening his mouth. "Wher..." He didn't even finish his first word. _What's wrong with my voice?_ He asked himself, desperately bringing his hand to cover his mouth. For some reason his voice was extremely high pitched, much like Sakura's.

Suddenly, he realized why he had been feeling so strange. And the shock was too big for him.

He looked down at himself, ignoring Tomoyo's and Kero's confused looks. There it was. A bunny suit. Complete; with leotard, long stockings and all. He slowly took his hands to his head and felt around. His hair was longer and smoother, and it had two long bunny ears attached to it. Of course, the biggest shock was when he looked down at his reflection in the puddle on the floor. There, where his face had been for the past twelve years, was Sakura's scared and innocent expression.

And so he fainted again.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N**_: Oh my God I didn't! I did! I bet you're just dying to read the next chapter now huh?! Well, do your part and I'll do mine. (By your part I obviously mean review.) _

_Sorry about Mei Ling again. It's getting close, I swear._

_Bye!_


	19. Sakura and Syaoran, Act III, Part 1

Oi! (See that VERY IMPORTANT notice below? That means it's very important and you should read it.)

**A/N:** _Enjoying yourself? The best is yet to come._

_This is the third part of this four chaptered trilogy and, as any trilogy's third chapter, it's thrilling and exciting, full of peril and romance... sorta..._

_Anyway, I think this is a good chapter overall, make sure you read it with attention and review. (For real... I mean... If you went to the trouble of reading the whole thing, why not just write a few words about it? It feels great to say what you think. Honestly.)_

_In case you're wondering, it's a trilogy because it was originally intended to have three chapters, but the third one turned out to be so startlingly big that I divided it in two parts, making this a four chaptered trilogy._

_Just so you know:_

**This is a disclaimer: Guess what? I still don't own CCS. I'm starting to think I'm not trying hard enough.**

**VERY IMPORTANT! READ THIS EVEN IF YOU USUALLY SKIP IT. The Plot Thinckens:**_ Ok, no plot thickens this week. You and I need to have a serious talk. Yes, I mean you. You remember how the last chapter ended with Sakura and Syaoran being attacked by the change right? Yeah, that's pretty easy to understand in the anime, but here I have encountered one small issue. As I narrate the story, every time I refer to Sakura, you, the reader, __**MUST**__remember that Sakura's in Syaoran's body now. I can't afford to keep reminding you of it every single second and it wouldn't really be fun if you kept getting confused. So, no matter what, remember, every single second, that their bodies are switched. Summing up: Whenever I say Sakura, picture Syaoran's body and voice in your head, but think of Sakura's personality and general behavior. Whenever I say Syaoran, do the opposite. You might even get a good laugh by trying to picture Syaoran making a face that Sakura would usually make. Trust me, I did. (Syaoran saying "Hoe?" That's just priceless.) But there will be exceptions. For instance: '_Tomoyo took a sip of tea, watching Sakura's prone body with concern.' _In this case Tomoyo doesn__'__t know that Syaoran__'__s the one she__'__s looking at and so I even bother to write __'_Sakura's body' _to help clear out the confusion. But there are times when you__'__ll have to pay attention to the contest to understand who and whose body I__'__m talking about. __You're warned. Don't read this chapter if you're not ready to pay attention to what you're reading and thinking. And don't worry, it'll get worse soon._

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 8:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act III_

**Part 1:** _The Girl from Hong Kong_

What follows is an excerpt from Clow Reed's diary:

'_I'm nearly perfecting the Change. When I'm done with it I'll only have three more cards to make and then I'll finally be able to finish my spell to save her. I only wish that all this work won't go to waste. I don't know what I'd do without her. But moving back to a brighter subject, this is one of the funniest cards I've created so far. It's been hilarious to watch Kero and Yue learning how to cope with their new bodies. There isn't a day when they don't approach me and insist that this is a vile card and that I should destroy it. After I spice its effects up a bit they're sure to become even more persistent. Of course, the card's not vile. It's working properly and for a very good cause. After all, it's the first time I've ever seen them cooperate on something that's not an order from me. How long will it take for them to notice? Maybe I should stop waiting and free them of the card anyway. It's been nearly a year after all. Who knows what kind of trauma I'm inflicting on them. I just hope that they don't develop any sort of phobia regarding the Change._

_Clow Reed'_

_This pillow's so soft. This bed is great too but... I feel so heavy._

Sakura slowly opened her eyes, allowing herself to recognize the darkness around her. Save for the faint moonlight coming from the balcony, the room was completely dark.

It took her a while to get used to the darkness and start seeing distinct shapes. The first thing she noticed was obviously the big glass door and green curtains that stood between her and the balcony to her left.

The room was very big and the bed she was lying on had its back against the center of a wall, which made her feel out of place seeing as her bed had always been placed at the corner of her bedroom. She felt somewhat like one would feel if going to school in one's pajamas: Comfortable, but out of place nevertheless.

Aside from the balcony, there were two other wooden doors; one on the wall opposite to the bed and one to her right. Both of them were closed. All in all it was a regular room. There was a wardrobe and a desk.

As Sakura looked around, she started feeling she'd been there before. Unfortunately, that was the only familiar feeling for her at that moment. For some reason, things were all out of place somehow. She felt as if her whole self was out of proportion. In fact, when she tried to sit up she found out her very sense of balance was disturbed and nearly fell off the bed when pulling her legs to its side. When she did so, she noticed she wasn't wearing her bunny suit anymore. She couldn't see much, but she could tell by touch that she was now wearing a T-shirt and a pair of pants.

Standing up was even more challenging. Her body just refused to stand still and kept leaning to one side or the other as she shifted her weight from leg to leg. She tried to step forward but fell back on the bed.

_What's wrong with me?_

An incidental glimpse at the cupboard at her side distracted her from that problem. It was actually a particular photograph that caught her attention.

In the dark, it was hard to make out all of the faces in the picture, but she was sure one of them was Syaoran. There were also six other people on the frame, all women. Sakura supposed those were the many older sisters she recalled Syaoran mentioning; though she was almost sure that he had said four sisters. So the taller woman should be his mother. That left only a girl beside Syaoran. She was too young to be one of Syaoran's older sisters. In fact they were apparently the same age. As Sakura narrowed her eyes she noticed that the girl had an arm around him and a very unique grin on. Her grin was fierce like fire, and so was everything else about her. Sakura could tell just by the photograph that she had a lot of presence.

_Who could this be?_

She decided to ignore that matter for now. At least she knew where she was now. Next on her list was learning how to walk again, and then finding Syaoran or Wei or anybody else for that matter.

She pushed herself back on her two feet and, this time, managed to take a couple of steps forward before loosing her balance again. She stumbled back a bit but kept standing, and after a few more tries she was already walking almost like a normal person.

"Alright, now to... Hoe?!" She stopped midway through her sentence, bringing her hand to her throat. _My voice is weird too._ She started sweating nervously. Her voice was not only weird; it was a boy's voice. A familiar one at that. She hesitated a bit, but finally opened her mouth again too see if she hadn't imagined it. "Ahhh." The same boyish voice came out.

Sakura desperately tried to recall the last events before she passed out. She had captured The Jump, and amidst celebration something attacked them. It was a Clow card. _Did it do this too me?_

She started walking out of the room, hoping someone on the house could give her explanations. First she tried the door opposite to the bed. She slowly turned the doorknob and pushed it forward.

The room was dark just like the one she'd just come out of. The faint moonlight coming from a small window allowed her to recognize the place as a bathroom. A huge bathroom. The kind she'd seen in movies or in fancy hotel commercials. The bathtub alone was the size of the bathroom in her house. It even had one of those stylish lion heads from where water comes out. There was also a huge mirror that covered a whole wall. Other than that, there was only regular bathroom stuff, though it all seemed to be of a higher value than your everyday toilet.

Sakura was amazed at all that luxury. Syaoran certainly didn't match that kind of place. He didn't have that snotty rich feeling to him. Sakura too often forgot he was heir to a wealthy family.

All of that vanished completely from her mind when she looked straight in the mirror, finally getting a good view of her reflex.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the living room.

Tomoyo took a sip of tea, watching Sakura's prone body with concern. The unconscious girl was now dry and wearing Syaoran's T-shirt and pants, her bunny suit in the washing machine.

"Thank you for picking us up Wei-san." She said, turning her attention to the man. "Me and Kero-chan would never manage to carry these two all the way here on our own."

Wei shook his head "Think nothing of it Daidouji-san. It's a good thing you had our number registered on your cellphone." He said, and Tomoyo smiled thankfully.

They smiled to each other for a couple of seconds, but their faces slowly gave place to concern again, as they shifted their gazes back to the girl passed out on the sofa.

"Are you sure there's nothing we can do Kero-chan?" Tomoyo asked the guardian who was staring intently at Sakura too, with a serious face. Kero didn't show any kind of response. He was actually trying to hide his concern so Tomoyo wouldn't get even more worried. "Kero-chan?" The girl insisted.

Kero sighed. "If we knew what card did this we could try to do something, but right now we have to wait for them to wake up and see if there's anything changed in them."

Tomoyo cringed. "Changed?"

"Yes, many cards can have effects that change people's characteristics. The Voice can steal your voice; the Dash can make you an amazing runner and so on. Since the card just attacked and ran away it probably did something to them." Kero answered.

And so, with nothing left to say, they sat there waiting. Sakura's loud and steady breathing being the only noise that filled the room. A silent tension was growing inside the three, manifesting in constant fidgeting and occasional standing up and walking around for a minute.

After a while of nothing happening Wei manifested himself. "I'll go check up on Syaoran-sama." He said. It didn't make much of a difference though. A second later their attention was drawn to Syaoran's room.

"Hoeee?!" Came a loud scream, muffled by the walls, followed by a loud thud.

"Syaoran-sama!" Wei exclaimed as he ran to the source of the scream.

"Was that the brat?" Kero asked looking at the closed door across the room with confusion.

Tomoyo was somewhat confused too. "I don't know... that scream was rather..." She paused, searching for the right word.

"Girlish." Kero completed.

Tomoyo sweat dropped. "Yeah..." She said.

"Syaoran-sama!" Wei shouted again when he opened the door to the room. Tomoyo and Kero followed suit.

There, leaning against the door to the bathroom, was Sakura. Her face was pale and sweaty, and her gaze was aimed straight at something inside the bathroom with something in it that could only be identified as fear. Her mouth was trembling and mumbling unintelligible words and she seemed barely aware of their presence. Little did they know Sakura was the one actually residing in that body.

"Li-kun, what's wrong?" Tomoyo asked. She walked towards the boy slowly, half concerned and half scared. She'd rarely ever seen Syaoran loose his composure like that, and every time it'd happened, it was because he was embarrassed about something, not afraid.

This time Sakura noticed she had company. She looked at Tomoyo in the eye.

The moment their glances met, the ebony haired girl felt something really strange. She couldn't have put in words if she tried to, but it was quite similar to the feeling one gets when looking at an optic illusion, like seeing two things in the same place and at the same time.

Sakura's new eyes then took notice of Wei and Kero."T-Tomoyo-chan? Kero-chan? Wei-san?" The scared girl said. "W-what's going on? What happened?" She asked rather panicky.

Tomoyo had no idea how to answer that question, seeing as she was asking herself the exact same thing. _Did he call me Tomoyo-chan?_ "Li-kun, what happened to you?"

Sakura flinched and cringed at the mention of his name.

"Yeah brat, tell us." Kero demanded impatiently. Sakura cringed even more.

And so, Wei delivered the final blow. "Syaoran-sama, please, tell us what's wrong. Kinomoto-san is still asleep and we're very concerned about both of you."

Sakura took a couple of steps back. She looked at herself in the mirror one more time and this time had no doubt it was real. She somehow had turned into Syaoran. "I..." She couldn't verbalize anything more. After staring at her reflection for no more than two seconds she fell on her knees and did the only thing she could possibly think of doing. She cried like there was no tomorrow.

The trio watched the scene with their mouths hanging open. They were sure that whatever the card had done, it was powerful.

Wei was particularly scared, seeing as he knew better than anyone else in that room that it would take something like the death of his mother to make Syaoran cry like that. He was the first to step forward, being more used to living with Syaoran he also felt more confident than the other two. "Syaoran-sama, please calm down. I'm sure whatever happened we'll find a way to fix it."

Sakura's sobbing slowed down a bit. She was starting to overcome the shock of the moment and rationalize her actions. She knew she had to tell them what was happening after all. Taking a deep breath she started explaining herself. "I... I'm not Li-kun." She said, half to the trio and half to herself.

That sentence itself didn't cause much impact at first. Instead, Kero just insisted in the questioning. "You're not making any sense brat." He said.

"I'm not Li-kun!" Sakura repeated herself. "It's me Kero-chan."

Kero raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're ok?" He asked. However, when his mind finally picked the misplaced 'Kero-chan' in Sakura's sentence, he had an insight of understanding of the whole situation. "Oh no!" He exclaimed, pointing at Sakura indiscreetly "S-Sakura? It's you?!" Tomoyo and Wei looked at Sakura with cautious curiosity. They were beginning to understand and fear the situation.

Sakura slowly nodded. The surprise in Kero's face, whatever it meant, wasn't a good thing, and it only helped in making her feel more scared. "I woke up like this already." She said, and it seemed like she was going to break into tears once again. "What happened, Kero-chan?"

Kero tried not to show how much he was feeling sorry for her misfortune. "It's the Change card. It switches people's bodies and..." He paused. "Well, suffice to say that sometimes it goes further than switching bodies." He said, scared of his own thoughts.

Sakura's lips started trembling again. "W-what do you mean?"

Kero shook his head hard to force himself to stop wondering about the card and focus on the present matter. "Sakura, don't worry." He said, frowning confidently. "It's just temporary. We'll get you back to your old self in no time." He told the girl, trying to smile reassuringly.

Sakura smiled thankfully in response, which caused a very weird effect in Syaoran's face.

Tomoyo stepped forward. She was fighting with the logical side of herself to accept what she was seeing. It really couldn't be Syaoran. And those eyes, though amber colored, had the same sparkle that Sakura's had, as opposed to Syaoran's coldness. "Sakura-chan... is it really you?" She asked.

Sakura nodded, her smile fading away. "Yes." She said, ashamed, as if it was her mistake to be in that position.

Tomoyo didn't even hesitate to jump forward and hug her friend tightly, despite all the awkwardness.

As she returned the hug, Sakura could feel a warm comforting feeling inside herself. She had no idea how much she needed that gesture two seconds before. Her tears started flowing like crazy, taking away all of the fear with them. Sakura knew Tomoyo was also taking the pain within her and that was probably the only thing that stopped her from panicking. "Thank you Tomoyo-chan." She whispered in her friend's ear.

Tomoyo tightened her hug. "It's alright Sakura-chan. Because it's you, it's going to be alright." She said.

They finally let go of the hug. Sakura wiped the tears off her face, with a smile on again. "I'm sorry I got so scared." She said to the others. "It sounds silly doesn't it? I mean, it's just another card."

Kero shook his head as a sign of denial. "Don't be sorry. You had all the right to be shocked." He said. "But from now on you need to be strong and help us fix this situation."

"Right!" Sakura agreed.

Wei discreetly cleared his throat to get their attention. For someone who had just watched such an emotional scene he looked pretty relaxed and actually had a smile on. "Kinomoto-san, I'm glad you've overcome this initial shock and I don't want to bring any more concerns to you, but I think we should remember that Li-san is probably in your body now, and he should wake up soon."

Sakura nodded, not really surprised. Fortunately she had already thought of that a while ago and was already coming to terms with it too. "I know... he's probably going to be pretty shocked." She answered.

Tomoyo and Kero exchanged nervous glances, recalling Syaoran's short flash of consciousness at the Penguin Park. It made much more sense now.

Kero sighed. "Actually..." And then, he moved on to explain the past events since Sakura was attacked.

* * *

Sonomi Daidouji quickly dialed the number to the Kinomoto's residence on her phone. She waited for somebody to answer the call, fidgeting nervously and walking from side to side.

Finally the answer came in Nadeshiko's voice. "Hello."

"Nadeshiko-chan! Hello." She said, a bit too quickly.

"Sonomi-chan!" The voice answered, pleasantly surprised. "How have you been?"

"Fine, just fine." Sonomi answered hastily. "Listen, are Sakura-chan and Tomoyo-chan over there?"

"No... I haven't seen Sakura-chan since I got home. I thought she would be over at your house."

Sonomi sighed. "I've just got here, and the maids told me Tomoyo-chan went out to meet Sakura-chan a while ago. I really need her here right now. I tried her cellphone but I got a message saying she had no signal."

There was a small pause.

"That's strange. There's signal for cellphones everywhere in Tokyo, and I don't recall any storm or anything else that could have blocked it today."

"That's why I thought it was so weird. I'll try her cellphone again. Maybe it was a problem with the telephone company."

* * *

"This is even weirder than when I looked at the mirror." Sakura said, as she stared at her own sleeping face. The dark mood that had befallen her before had vanished, and she was already accepting the situation as weird rather than fearful.

Kero chuckled. "You should have seen his face." He said. "He was absolutely terrified. Even more than you were."

Tomoyo frowned. "That's not very nice Kero-chan. You'd be very scared if you suddenly woke up in Li-kun's body."

Kero shivered. "Please, don't ever say that again!" He exclaimed. "I feel bad enough for Sakura. If I was in the brat's body I'd do myself and the world a favor and jump out of that window right now." He said before falling in hysterical laughter. _Yue was already bad enough for me._ He thought

Sakura ignored the little guardian. She was too fascinated with her peaceful sleeping face breathing in and out softly. "Do you think he'll wake up soon?"

Tomoyo and Kero stopped their teasing and turned their attention to Sakura.

Kero shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? We tried to wake him up a while ago, but it did no good. We'll just have to wait."

Sakura sighed. "I hope we find a way to get back to normal soon." She said. "Not that I don't trust Li-kun but... I don't think there's anything more uncomfortable than this in the world."

Tomoyo giggled. "I think you're taking it better than Li-kun so far." Sakura laughed in response, but not very cheerfully, so Tomoyo held back her giggles. "Don't worry Sakura-chan. It's not permanent, I'm sure Kero-chan already knows how to fix you two. Right Kero-chan?"

Kero sweat dropped. "Well... I do know what will reverse the spell but... I don't know how to get it."

Both girls raised one eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Sakura asked, tensing up.

"The only way to reverse the Change's spell..." He was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Huh?"

Wei came out of the kitchen. "That's weird. Why didn't the gatekeeper warn us? He shouldn't let people in without our confirmation." He walked to the door.

"Maybe it's someone from the building." Tomoyo suggested.

"Quick, hide Kero-chan!" Sakura said, shoving Kero under a pillow on the couch. Kero didn't protest.

"Who is it?" Wei asked, leaning towards the door.

Sakura and Tomoyo couldn't understand what the person on the door was saying, and accounted that to a weird accent. They could tell however that it was a girl's voice. It was also evident that Wei knew that voice, because he immediately changed his expression to one of surprise.

Wei looked through the peephole and became even more shocked. He immediately opened the door, but neither Sakura nor Tomoyo could see who the girl was.

She immediately buried her face in Wei, holding him tight. The only thing they could tell about her was her long dark hair tied in two opposite ponytails, her height, which was about the same as them, and her voice, which was high pitched and powerful. One could guess she was the kind who always makes her presence known. She also gave out a feeling of intense happiness that reminded Tomoyo of Sakura's own aura of cheerfulness, but in a less discrete way.

They couldn't understand a word of the short conversation that ensued between the girl and Wei, and before Sakura could even question herself about what was happening, the mysterious girl looked at her.

Sakura instantly recognized her as the girl in the picture, the one that was hugging Syaoran. That was good thing, cause it reduced her shock when the girl's eyes filled with tears and she jumped over her much like she did to Wei. However, this time she jumped with such strength that both of them were thrown on the floor.

"Xiao Lang!" The girl exclaimed. Sakura recognized Syaoran's name and remembered that as far as that girl knew, she was him.

Even though she felt sorry for Sakura, Tomoyo was finding the situation rather amusing. The mysterious girl was talking nonstop with teary eyes and Sakura couldn't understand a word or even explain the misunderstanding.

"Mei Ling-san..." Wei started, but the girl interrupted him.

"I'm sorry. I have to talk in Japanese now, right? Ok." She prompted herself up, much to Sakura's relief. "Oh Syaoran, I'm so happy! There are so many things I've..." She stopped midway trough her sentence, recognizing the room around her.

Her eyes slowly shifted from Tomoyo to Sakura's unconscious body on the couch. Her face started to get red and her hands clenched up in tight fists. "Who... what in the world are these girls doing in your apartment at such a late hour? And why is that one wearing your clothes?!" All of a sudden, that intense happiness she emanated turned into an anger of the same intensity. That change was amazing seeing how fast and sharply it'd happened. Almost as if that angry side had been dying to jump out all along.

Wei sighed deeply. _She couldn't have had worse timing_. He thought.

Sakura didn't know how to react. She just stood there, sitting on the floor, looking back at the girl who was hugging her a second ago and now looked like she was about to beat her up to oblivion.

Before anybody could try to explain the situation to the girl she was already beside the couch, shaking who she judged was a stranger sleeping on Syaoran's couch. "Hey! Wake up girl! It's time to go home! You're being inconvenient."

Everybody in the room sweat dropped. "Who's being inconvenient?" Tomoyo muttered under her breath, annoyed.

The girl glared at Tomoyo. "What did you say?"

Tomoyo raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but you might want to at least introduce yourself before trying to kick people out of someone else's house." Sakura was a bit surprised by Tomoyo's harsh behavior. Though it was a justified behavior, considering how intrusive the Chinese girl was being.

The girl frowned, but upon meeting a reprehensive look from Wei she contained herself. "I'm Li Mei Ling, and I'm here to pick up Syaoran and Wei-san for dinner with his mother and a friend of hers. We are already running late and sleeping beauty here isn't helping us." She said.

Wei decided to step in. "I'm really sorry Daidouji-san, this is quite a surprise for me too. This is Syaoran-sama's cousin from Hong Kong. I believe we all have some explanations to do, right?" He said.

"Well, it'll have to wait!" Mei Ling shouted. "Wei-san, could you show these two the way out while Syaoran puts on some less casual clothes for the dinner?"

Sakura's eyes widened. "Hoe?" She blushed bright red at the thought of having to change clothes.

"It's a fancy dinner. You can't go wearing that. Hurry up, Yelan-san is waiting downstairs in the car." She picked Sakura up and pushed her all the way to Syaoran's bedroom. "This is your new room right? Then hurry and get changed, I'll be waiting downstairs." She gave Sakura a big push inside the room and slammed the door shut.

"Mei Ling-sama, if you would just calm down and listen..." Wei started, but the girl was already walking out the door.

"There's no time Wei-san! Maybe if Syaoran hadn't brought these two here we could talk, but right now we still have to wake sleeping beauty and show them the way out. I'll be in the car apologizing to Yelan-san for the delay, so if you would please take care of these girls..." And so she walked into the elevator.

"Mei Ling-sama, wait!" Wei shouted, but it was too late. The elevator doors had closed and she was already on her way down. "Spunky as ever..." He said under a sigh. He pressed the call button for the elevator, though it would take a while for it to go all the way down and up again.

Inside the elevator, Mei Ling was holding herself not to punch the wall. "How dare you Xiao Lang?!" She muttered. "I come here only for you and I find out that you, who have never befriended anyone your age except for me, are having two girls over at your apartment." _And I bet that one of them was that Kinomoto girl._ She frowned as hard as her muscles allowed her, and let all of her tears fall down, wiping them away upon the opening of the elevator doors. "I just wanted it to be a nice surprise."

Meanwhile, Sakura was coming out of Syaoran's room. "What was that?" She asked nobody in particular.

Kero flew out of his hideout. "I don't know, but that girl's got some serious issues."

Wei walked in the room. "I'm really sorry for all this; Mei Ling-sama is really close to Syaoran-sama, so she tends to get a little jealous around other girls."

Kero snickered. "A little? Talk about being intense."

Tomoyo sweat dropped. "I could see that... If she knew that this Li-kun is actually Sakura she would probably go crazy."

Sakura was blushing. "I had no idea Li-kun had such an eccentric cousin. He's so calm and cool and she's..."

Wei chuckled. "I know, but Syaoran-sama cares a lot for Mei Ling-sama too." The elevator dinged and its doors opened. "Oh, it's here. Kinomoto-san, please, come down with me so we can explain the misunderstanding."

Sakura nodded. "Alright." She said with a bit of hesitation.

"Daidouji-san, Kerberos-san, please take care of Li-san. We'll be right back." Wei said as he and Sakura entered the elevator.

"Don't worry Wei-san, he's in good hands." Tomoyo confirmed.

Wei smiled at her. "Thank you." He pushed the lobby button and the automated doors closed.

Tomoyo exchanged tired glances with Kero. "It's been a long day hasn't it?"

Kero agreed. "Don't even mention it, when I finally think it's all over The Change shows up and makes this mess, and as if things weren't bad enough, crazy Chinese girl comes in and starts to shriek."

"You have to admit she's high spirited." Tomoyo said. "Though she could be a little more polite."

Kero raised a brow. "A little?"

Tomoyo giggled. "I guess you're right."

The girl walked to the window to see what was happening at down there. She could only see Mei Ling leaning against a Limousine, though the car managed to get her attention. "That Limousine... Isn't that..."

Suddenly her cellphone rang. She took it out of the little purse she was carrying. "Hello?" She waited for the response. "Kaa-san, what is it?" She waited again, but this time her eyes widened when she got the answer. "No way!"

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**A/N:** _Is it just me or did this chapter get a bit darker than my usual writing at some places? It seems the story is getting heavier. Oh boy. This is getting more exciting every day._

_Same old stuff: Review and see you next week. Same bat-time, same bat-channel. (__**PLEASE**__ give me feedback on this 'bat-time bat-channel' joke. I need to now if it's a universal joke or something that only a Brazilian would understand.)_

_Bye! (And Yay! Mei Ling's Finally here!)_


	20. Sakura and Syaoran, Act III, Part 2

Hey!

**A/N:**_ Thanks to all of you reviewers. I've got a lot of reviews for chapter 19 and many of them were real reviews with actual content, which, as you should know by now, are worth a thousand times more to me. Thanks once again. _

_About the bat-time, bat-channel, I'm glad to know other people understand it. I always wondered if the original version had that classic in it too or if it was something exclusive to the Brazilian dubbed version. (Which was so poorly dubbed that it became funny.) For those of you who didn't get the joke, it was a reference to the old (Really old) Batman live action series. You know. The one that's always being parodied, like in Eminen's video clip. Where Batman and Robin fight the bad guys with a 'hip' soundtrack and every time someone does anything a large "POW" or "SOC" shows up on the screen accompanied by some big band climax sound effects. They invented that. And the classic opening sequence: "Nananananananananananananana BATMAN!!!!" If you still don't know what I'm talking about then sorry for wasting your time. _

_I know you want to go to the story soon, so I'll try to be brief now._

**Brief Disclaimer: CLAMP owns CCS.**

**The plot briefly thickens:** _After facing her fears and capturing her first card by herself, Sakura was attacked by a new card along with Syaoran. The card just touched them and ran away. Syaoran and Sakura had their bodies switched by the card. Syaoran fainted when he found out and is still fainted. Sakura was just recovering from the shock when Mei Ling surprised them claiming that she'd just come from Hong Kong with Yelan and that they were late for a fancy dinner. Meanwhile, Tomoyo's mother finally managed to find her daughter whom she'd been looking for all afternoon._

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 8:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act III_

**Part 2:** _The Surprises Never Stop_

Mei Ling's eyes widened when she saw Syaoran coming out of the building, still wearing the same casual clothing. "What are you doing?!" She shouted. "Why haven't you changed? We're late!"

Sakura didn't answer. She and Wei had agreed that he would do all the talking. The man claimed that it wasn't just anyone who could handle an angry Mei Ling. "Mei Ling-sama, I tried to tell you back then, but you wouldn't listen."

"What?!" The girl questioned, putting her hands on her hips. Not even Syaoran had the guts to take such an offensive tone when talking to Wei. "This better be important. Are you going after a card or something right now? Cause otherwise it can't possibly be more important than this."

And then, a soft voice came from inside the car. Soft, but not held back. It was a voice with a strong presence, but a more subtle presence than Mei Ling's. "Mei Ling, I'm surprised you haven't noticed."

Sakura observed as the limousine's door opened to reveal a tall woman, with long, dark, silky hair. She wore traditional Chinese robes, and her face was at the same time enticing and intimidating. As she walked out of the car, her mere presence rendered everybody else around silent. _This is Li-kun's mother?_ Sakura asked herself. _She's beautiful._

The women opened up a smile and started walking towards Sakura. "I see Mei Ling has gotten you in quite an uncomfortable situation. I'm really sorry, if I had known of this problem earlier I wouldn't have sent her up by herself."

Sakura's mouth was hanging open. Not because Yelan had apparently noticed the Change's effects, but because she was just a breathtaking sight. Not only because of her beauty, but her aura, her smell, her voice. It seemed as if she was a truly flawless person. Yet, her smile was as humble as it could get. "Hoe? You mean..."

The woman giggled. "Of course I noticed. What kind of mother would I be if I couldn't recognize my own son?"

Sakura blushed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

The woman put hand on Sakura's forehead. "Don't worry. There's nothing to be sorry about." She closed her eyes and Sakura could feel the woman studying her. "You're a girl aren't you?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes." She answered meekly.

"I'm Li Yelan, Syaoran's mother, you've already met Mei Ling, his cousin." Mei Ling was just staring at the two while trying to figure out what Syaoran was talking about. "And you are..."

"I'm Kinomoto Sakura."

Yelan took her off of Sakura's head. "I thought so. You're the one who let the cards on the loose aren't you?"

Sakura blushed again. "Y-yes..."

Yelan giggled again. "I've heard from Syaoran that you're quite talented. I'd like to see it with my own eyes someday."

"Hoe? Li-kun told you about me?" Sakura asked.

Mei Ling, who had been looking from Sakura to Yelan in complete confusion, got tired of the strange conversation. "Just what is going on here?" She yelled, stomping the floor. "I have a feeling I'm being left out of something here."

Yelan let herself loose her cool for a second, looking a bit embarassed. "Oh, I'm sorry Mei Ling. I forgot about that. You still haven't noticed have you?"

Mei Ling's eye was twitching. "Noticed what?"

"This person here isn't really Syaoran. It's the Kinomoto Sakura Syaoran wrote about in his letters, the future mistress of the cards."

Mei Ling looked at Sakura and raised an eyebrow. She didn't seem as shocked as Sakura expected her to be. But Yelan and Wei knew that Mei Ling was still processing the information so she could actually believe it. "I think I don't quite understand." She said, wondering if she hadn't misheard something.

"It was a Clow Card that switched their bodies." Wei continued for Yelan. "The Change card, to be more precise."

Mei Ling's mouth hung open. She stood in a state of shock for a couple of seconds and then shifted her gaze to Sakura menacingly. She walked towards her so that their faces were just an inch apart and started examining her expression. The way Sakura's lips trembled from nervousness, the pace of her breathing, the way she moved her eyebrows to express how uncomfortable she was, even the way she blinked. Now that Mei Ling paid attention to those details it had become quite obvious that Yelan was telling the truth. Finally, Mei Ling stepped away and pointed her finger at Sakura. Her gaze was as cold as ice and tortured Sakura with the clear message of: 'How dare you?' "You're not my Syaoran!" She fiercely declared.

Sakura sweat dropped. "That's what we've been trying to tell you all along."

Yelan put a hand on Mei Ling's shoulder. "It really is a sad thing that we had to meet under such circumstances" She started. "I think it's most appropriate that Mei Ling and I go to our appointment and let you two find a solution to your problem, isn't it?"

Mei Ling gnashed her teeth. "No! I demand to know where Syaoran is first."

"He's the girl sleeping on the couch up in the apartment" Wei said. "He's been asleep ever since they switched their bodies."

Mei Ling kept her gaze at Sakura. "Fine, then I'll stay here until he wakes up."

Yelan shook her head. "I'm sorry Mei Ling, but it's very important that you come with me."

Mei Ling turned her head so she was facing Yelan. Sakura breathed relieved from being finally free from that deadly stare. "But why?!"

"If I'm not mistaken, I said you could come with me only on one condition." Yelan answered patiently.

"But I won't help him get the card! I just want to..." She was interrupted.

Tomoyo, who was now running towards the group, had a large smile on her face and was waving her hand in the air. "Yelan-san!" She called cheerfully. "It's been so long!"

Everybody, except Yelan, became instantly confused.

Yelan's eyes widened when she spotted Tomoyo. For the second time she lost her cool, but this time she really lost it. "Tomoyo-chan! What are you doing here?"

"I'm with Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo answered while pointing to Sakura and coming to a halt near them. "She's uh..." Tomoyo stopped midway through her sentence, not sure if Yelan and Mei Ling knew about the Change already. _Maybe I shouldn__'__t have pointed to Sakura-chan._

Everybody else was either shocked or confused. Mei Ling was the first to say something. "You know each other?"

Yelan nodded. "Of course. Though I never expected you to already know Sakura." She said, referring to Tomoyo. Picking up on Tomoyo's hesitance, she quickly completed her sentence. "Or about the Clow Cards. I guess this world still holds its surprises."

Tomoyo giggled, apparently she hadn't told them anything they didn't know already. "It sure does." She said.

"Mei Ling, this is Daidouji Tomoyo, the daughter of Sonomi-san." Yelan said, putting her hand on Tomoyo's back.

Mei Ling eyed Tomoyo suspiciously. "Nice to meet you..." She said, not really meaning it.

Tomoyo smiled at her. "My pleasure."

Looking at everybody's faces, Sakura could tell she was the only one with her mouth still hanging open. "Huh... Tomoyo-chan... What's going on?" She tried asking her friend. Something was definitely wrong.

Tomoyo looked at Sakura in the eye with a lot of energy. "Isn't this amazing Sakura-chan? I've known Yelan-san for a long time, but I didn't have any idea she was Li-kun's mother."

"B-but how?" Sakura inquired.

Yelan stepped in. "I think we all have a lot of stories to tell." She said. "But due to the circumstances, we don't have so much time. I have a dinner I must attend and you have a card to find."

"B-but..."

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do." Yelan said. "I promised a friend I'd go to dinner and I always keep my promises. I'm sure we'll have a lot of time to talk later. Shall we Tomoyo-chan?" Once again Yelan amazed everybody. This time with her capacity to be extremely incisive, yet absolutely reasonable and polite.

"Hoe! You're going too Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked.

Tomoyo nodded. "The dinner is at my house. They're going to stay with us while they're in Japan." She said, grinning. Sakura was left stupefied.

"Let's get going then." Yelan announced. "Tomoyo-chan, Mei Ling, get in the car." The girls did as they were told, though Mei Ling was reluctant and gave Sakura one last suspicious glance. "Wei-san, you're coming with us too."

Wei nodded. "Of course, Yelan-sama." He turned to Sakura. "Please take good care of Syaoran-sama." He said before following the two girls.

Yelan waited for everybody to get in the car before leaning towards Sakura and whispering in her ear. "Tell Syaoran that I know how hard this situation between you two is for him and I'm proud of him for facing it and for taking decisions on his own. Tell him that I encourage all of his efforts to end this problem too."

Sakura nodded, it was a pretty normal message considering their position. She had no idea that Yelan wasn't at all talking about their bodies being switched, but about the spell.

Sakura's mind was lost in the numerous events that had happened in the past hour. Her meeting with Syaoran's mother had probably been the strangest of all. As she waved her hand to the speeding car, she started to ponder about that strange person. Yelan had reacted so naturally to the situation that even the spunky girl didn't have the energy to do much. Her mere presence defined what everybody around her would do. Not only that, but she was a friend of Tomoyo's mother, which only made her more mysterious.

Sakura turned back to the building, not seeing any other option but doing as Yelan had told her. Her mind was still dizzy at the amazing succession of surprises she was having that day. It was all happening too fast, but somehow she expected everything to settle down and explain itself in the end. With that belief she was able to focus on her priority: getting her body back. She had to be home as soon as possible after all. Her mother was probably starting to get worried.

"Alright, I'll get back to the apartment and talk to Kero-chan." She told herself, tough, for obvious reasons, it sounded like it wasn't her saying those words. And so she headed back to the elevator.

* * *

Mei Ling was fuming with anger. She had just let the girl by whom Syaoran was literally bewitched not only alone with him, but inside his body. And to make things worst, her aunt was the one who had told her to do so, meaning she had no chance of refusing. 

The conversation that ensued between Yelan and Tomoyo inside the limousine only helped in getting her angrier.

"Yelan-san, isn't there anything we can do for Sakura-chan? I feel bad for leaving her alone like that." Tomoyo said, looking trough the window of the car with worried eyes.

"Tomoyo-chan, don't you trust your friend?" Yelan asked the girl.

Tomoyo nodded. "Of course! But she trusts me too. I feel bad having to leave her by herself." The girl protested.

Yelan smiled warmly. "That's truly beautiful. I'm sure you two care deeply for each other." She said. "However, in a relationship between friends, one must always search for what's best for the other. I can only ask you to trust my word now, but I assure you, the best thing for Sakura is to do this without us."

"But why?" Tomoyo insisted.

Yelan didn't hesitate to answer, but her expression told Tomoyo that she couldn't answer the question easily. Still, she clearly said exactly what she meant to say. "That's a bit complicated, I'm afraid. But trust me, she'll be fine."

Tomoyo couldn't help but agree. For someone like Yelan to say that with such conviction it had to be true. "Alright. After all, once Li-kun wakes up she won't be by herself anymore. If Li-kun is there then there's nothing to worry about."

"I'm glad to hear my son inspires such confidence." Yelan said, smiling proudly.

Tomoyo grinned. "Of course he does. He's so strong. Sakura-chan really looks up to him." She said, Mei Ling felt a vein pop in her head. "Not only that, they really care for each other. Even though Li-kun won't admit it, he gets desperate whenever Sakura-chan is in danger. He's always concerned about her when they're fighting a Clow Card. There was this one time..."

"Shut up!" Mei Ling shouted abruptly. "You've got no idea what you're talking about! Can't you see that because of this girl Syaoran is going trough a lot of pain?"

Tomoyo was surprised by that outburst. She didn't know how to react. Yelan didn't show any reaction, but Wei decided to intervene. "Mei Ling-sama, please calm down. What Daidouji-san meant is..."

Mei Ling interrupted him. "I know what she means. But she's wrong. She doesn't know anything." She cried, pointing her indiscrete finger at Tomoyo.

Tomoyo sighed. She had picked up in the past few minutes that Syaoran meant something special for Mei Ling, so it was understandable that she'd get jealous. "Mei Ling-sama, I'm just telling you what I've seen." She stated. "Besides, you oviously know Li-kun better than I do. He's the kind of person who protects the ones he cares about, isn't he?"

Mei Ling snorted. "I know that! But... It's all wrong. Syaoran doesn't care for that girl. It's all fake."

Tomoyo frowned. The girl was starting to be rude. Jealousy aside. "It wasn't fake. I've witnessed Sakura-chan and Li-kun becoming friends and it was all very real."

This time Mei Ling lowered her tone of voice. "I wish it had been. Even if it meant..." She trailed off and then sniffed. "At least this way he wouldn't have to go through this damned spell."

Tomoyo raised an eyebrow. "Spell?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

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**A/N:**_ There you go. It's short, but it's still a chapter. I know that things aren't happening so fast in the story lately, but that's the whole point of this four chaptered trilogy. The "Sakura and Syaoran" chapters are extremely relevant in the psychological development of the characters. So, even though they're not really having much action, their relationships with each other are not only changing, but being redefined, especially in Sakura and Syaoran's case. I didn't call the chapter Sakura and Syaoran for nothing. Plus, there are still many secrets about the puppet masters to be revealed. Not to mention the revelation of what the puppet master told Syaoran when he decided what to do about the spell._

_Ok. I don't need to tell you to review do I? I guess you're kinda getting tired of that. So I'll only say goodbye._

_Goodbye._


	21. Sakura and Syaoran, Act III, Part 3

Hey!

**A/N:**_ Thank you once more! You deserve it for being so nice. (If you review that is.) _

**Disclaimer: A soft breeze blows over the plains. CLAMP looks at the dark sky and wonders if people will ever understand her message. "I did it!" Her shout echoes throughout the distance, but only the grass and the trees listen. "I made CCS. Magma Dragoon had nothing to do with it." And then, a dry leaf falls on the ground, announcing autumn. Nobody has listened, but CLAMP knows the world understands her sorrow. "CCS belongs to CLAMP." The world whispers back. And then, a flower blooms by CLAMPS feet. Spring has come earlier for her. A single tear falls on the flower. A tear of happiness. Justice has been done.**

**The plot thickens:** _Mei Ling's arrival had surprised everybody. The girl had made herself known a little too well. But Sakura was even more surprised when she discovered that Mei Ling and Yelan were staying at Tomoyo's house. She didn't even have time to ask for explanations. Yelan hurried everybody, claiming that they were late for dinner. Sakura was left behind in Syaoran's apartment with Kero and a passed out Syaoran, having to figure out how she would get her body back before anything happened. (Don't forget to keep remembering yourself that 'Sakura' means 'Sakura in Syaoran's body' and vice-versa.)_

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 8:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act III_

**Part 3:** _Beyond the Body_

Now follows another excerpt from Clow Reed's diary regarding the Change:

'_I thought that the Change was good enough as it was, but now that I've added this final power it's purpose is fulfilled. Kerberos and Yue have never been so cooperative. Of course, it can cause some embarrassing moments to have your mind opened like that, but it also gives you amazing experiences that would be otherwise unachievable. Kerberos asked me if this power was mind reading, but he got it all wrong. To read someone's mind you'd have to break through the many barriers that a person puts around himself. You can say that someone who knows how to understand the so called 'body language' is a primitive mind reader. That's far from what the Change does. Instead of breaking through the barriers that block the access to the mind, it took Yue and Kerbero's minds and put them behind the same barriers. This way they are sheltered from the world as usual, but they are not sheltered from themselves. I've witnessed the most amazing results from that. _

_Their first reaction was obviously the feeling of invasion of privacy. Everything one of them thinks is witnessed by the other. However, this way, they can't help but understand each other's point of view, making it impossible for them to have an argument. At least in theory. One of the most surprising things I've seen is that, while sharing their thoughts, they instinctively learn how to raise barriers that separate their minds. Not as strong as the one separating them from the world, but effective in allowing them to think by themselves. Of course, these new barriers are fragile and often break down. I've also noticed that these new barriers tend to be stronger when they get mad at each other or at something else, but tend to be more stable when they create them intentionally. The result is that these barriers are appearing and disappearing all the time._

_When all of these barriers do break down, leaving their minds truly bare, they do the thing that fascinated me the most. I called it the 'two bodies, one mind' state. I guess the name sums it all up. With nothing to stop their thoughts from reaching the other they start to have conversations at an amazing speed. Instead of words and sentences, they use ideas and intentions. It's not only faster than talking normally, but it's actually more effective, since the purpose of the words we use if precisely to translate our ideas and intentions. When they do this they enter a trance of sorts and have what might be the most productive conversations in history._

_The functionality of this mind link can be summed up to help anyone understand it: The two subjects can feel, listen, see, smell and even taste what the other one feels, listens, etc... But the intensity of that link is always changing, as many barriers are raised and thorn down between them every second. It's very hard to predict a pattern in this mind link, so the best I can do for now is be aware that the clarity with which they perceive each other's thoughts is always changing. Most of the time, that clarity is at a medium level in which they can only hear objective thoughts.'_

Syaoran opened his eyes.

All he could see was the ceiling of his living room, which was a good thing. He was home. The next thing was even better. He could clearly feel that he wasn't wearing any bunny suit. _So it really was a dream._ He thought, sighing in relief as he remembered the terrible sight of Sakura's face in his reflection at the Penguin Park.

He sat up on the couch and looked around. There was no one else in the room. However, he could hear Sakura's voice coming from somewhere.

"Hoe? Li-kun?"

Syaoran couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. It had sounded so distant, but at the same time so clear. _Did I imagine it?_ He wondered.

"Li-kun! Is that you?"

This time Syaoran was sure the voice was coming from inside his head. It probably had something to do with the Clow Card from before. Somehow it messed up his mind even more. Giving him crazy dreams and making him hear voices in his head. Or maybe it was that person's fault again.

"What's going on? Where are you? What are you talking about? Whose fault?" The voice insisted.

Syaoran was starting to feel disturbed. The voice just wouldn't go away. _Cut it out!_ He thought to himself as if trying to answer the voice through his mind. He shook his head in a fruitless attempt to normalize his thoughts.

"Cut what out? I don't know what's happening." The voice was starting to sound nervous.

"Shut up!" Syaoran finally shouted, bringing his hands to his mouth immediately after. _My voice!_

"Li-kun, don't worry, I'm coming up to the apartment. Just wait for me there!"

That comment didn't match Syaoran's theory of a voice inside his head. Could it be that Sakura was actually talking to him somehow? Anyway, he didn't know if that was even half as concerning as the fact that he was really in Sakura's body. That meant his 'dream' had also been very real.

Kero entered the living room, from the kitchen, chewing on something Syaoran couldn't identify. "Who are you talking to?" The guardian asked. "You just woke up and you're already speaking nonsense."

Syaoran pulled himself up and walked up to Kero. He nearly fell down on the way, unaccustomed to his new legs. "What's going on here?!" He asked nervously.

"Calm down. It was a Clow Card." Said the voice in his head.

Kero sighed. "Keep your cool. Remember that card that attacked you in the park? It was the Change."

Syaoran looked all over the room to see if Sakura wasn't hiding somewhere. Maybe he had just missed her the last time. He did find her, but she was opening the front door and walking in the apartment. "Li-kun, you're awake!" She said, her voice male, but the voice that echoed in Syaoran's head still the same. As a result he heard his and Sakura's voice pronouncing those words simultaneously.

Of course, her words or the echo in his head were of little importance when compared to the fact that he was staring at himself. His body was standing right there in front of him staring at himself and looking not half as shocked as he felt. He wasn't even sure if he understood the meaning of that particular thought. The boy was left speechless, which was fortunate to Sakura and Kero.

"Will you let us explain now?" Kero said. After clearing his throat, he put himself to talk. "The Change card switched your bodies. This here is Sakura, and you are in her body."

Syaoran mumbled something incomprehensible He waved his hand in the air trying to hit Kero but guardian dodged easily. "I noticed that already! What I want to know is why I can hear her thoughts!" He exclaimed.

Sakura gasped. She could hear Syaoran's voice along with hers as the boy talked through her body. That meant she was hearing him think those words along with him saying them. That also meant he could hear whatever else she though of. Of course, Sakura's mind wondered straight to the things she didn't want Syaoran to hear.

Syaoran suddenly picked an image of Yukito in his head. He blushed deeply. _Why I thinking of him now?!_ The response to his question came immediately in the form of a thought from Sakura. Syaoran blushed even deeper and Sakura was now blushing too, realizing she had just thought about what she was trying to avoid. "Control yourself Kinomoto-san!" Syaoran said loudly. Sakura's mind only drifted further into her thoughts. She was now trying not to think of her fantasies of going on a romantic date with Yukito.

Suddenly Kero shouted. "Ahh! A ghost!"

"Kyaaah!" Sakura's thoughts froze. She put her arms around her head for protection and fell on her knees.

Syaoran understood what Kero was trying to do. He and the guardian shared quick meaningful glances before turning back to Sakura. "He was just kidding Kinomoto-san. To distract you." Sakura looked up to Syaoran, he had a serious face on, despite his sympathetic words.

Kero flew to her side. "Now, before your minds start wondering again pay attention to what I'm going to say. Sit down, both of you, and close your eyes." He said. Sakura and Syaoran looked at him inquisitively, but considering the situation they thought it would be best to hear the guardian. The two sat on their knees, side by side, and closed their eyes. "The Change has the power to create this kind of link between the minds of the people whose bodies it switched. Every time one of you has a focused thought, the other will hear. The best way to avoid thinking uncomfortable thoughts is to focus on something else, so count to a hundred together while I think of something. And count as loudly as you can."

Both Sakura and Syaoran started counting together without questioning the order. There was nothing else they could do. Giving themselves time to think would mean risking another embarassing situation like that one. They started counting out loud with absoutely perfect synchrony.

"1, 2..."

"Louder!" Kero ordered.

"4, 5, 6..." The continued, from the top of their non respective lungs.

Kero sighed. _Ok, so The Change's done its little trick on them. They'll never get the card if they can't even think by themselves. There's got to be some way to fix them without finding the card_.

"22, 23, 24..." As they counted they started tensing up. _This isn't working at all._ Sakura thought, intending to be listened by Syaoran.

_Even if I put one of them to sleep, they might start dreaming and that would be even worst._ Kero thought, remembering terrible past experiences with the Change and dreams.

"35, 36, 37..." Sakura was already closing her hands in tight fists. _Do we really need to be this worried?_ Syaoran thought. Sakura glanced at him curiously. _We think some things so fast, it__'__s impossible that we can actually hear everything the other thinks._

_Maybe if they... no._ Kero continued his hopeless pursuit for a solution.

"49, 50, 51..." They were both sweating by now. _You're right! We can think anything we want, so long as we don't focus in it, the other one won't know. Right?_

"That's it!" Kero proclaimed. "Keep counting, I'll be right back." He flew out of the room, into Syaoran's bedroom.

Sakura and Syaoran watched anxiously. They exchanged another quick glance and stopped counting simultaneously. A moment of tension took hold of them, not knowing how vulnerable their minds were. After a couple of seconds Syaoran let out a smirk. "See? It's not like we're open books or anything."

Sakura smiled back. "You're right, this isn't too hard."

Kero flew back into the room. "Found it." He yelled. He showed the Shield card to the two. "I'll use it on you Sakura. The Shield might block The Change's magic and..."

"It's alright Kero-chan. It's not really that bad." Sakura said, signaling for Kero to put the card down.

Kero's mouth fell open. "Not that bad?!" He exclaimed with indignation. "How can you say that? It's terrible."

"She says that because we have control over our own minds." Syaoran stated proudly.

Kero sighed in defeat. "Alright, it's your choice. But trust me, you'll regret it latter."

"Don't worry, we're not prisoners to our thoughts." Syaoran said. He couldn't help but reminding himself of the lie he was telling. _At least_ _I wish I wasn't._ He thought, remembering the spell.

Sakura looked at Syaoran with curiosity. "Hoe?"

Syaoran found himself trapped in what he was trying to hide, much like Sakura had been a while ago. "Nothing!" He said immediately, waving his hands in front of him defensively. "I was just thinking we should think of a way to find the card and..." He paused, suddenly noticing something.

Sakura didn't have to wait for the boy to speak to answer him. She knew what he'd noticed. "Wei-san and Tomoyo-chan aren't here, I know. It's a long story. As a matter of fact, it concerns you." She said smiling anxiously.

Kero chuckled. "To sum it up, your mother and cousin are having dinner at Tomoyo's house. Apparently they're going to be staying there for a few weeks." Kero said.

It took over three seconds for that piece of information to kick in Syaoran's mind. He wondered if he hadn't misheard the little beast, or maybe Kero had made a mistake. None of that was the case however, and Sakura's thoughts came soon, confirming the truth.

The boy started sweating. "Does she..."

Sakura knew what he was going to ask again and didn't need to wait for him to finish. "She knows of the Change already." She answered meekly, noticing the news weren't as good to Syaoran as she had anticipated.

Syaoran gulped. "And what did she say?"

Sakura smiled. At least those were good news. "She said she was very proud of you for facing this situation between us and she encourages you in every effort to end it." She said. "She's an amazing person, isn't she?"

Syaoran was caught off guard again. "She said that?" Of course he knew her mother was talking about the spell, but he decided that it wasn't something he should think about while Sakura could listen and quickly moved on to what really mattered. "But she had told me to go back to Hong Kong. I thought she would be mad at me for insisting in staying. Last time we talked she was so incisive."

Kero smirked. "Sometimes, when you want someone to do something, the best way to get it is to ask him to do the exact opposite." He said, making a pose he judged to be cool and wise. "Your mother was probably testing you to see if you had the guts to stay."

Sakura grinned. "Isn't that great? Now you can stay with your mother's consent. I mean... if you want to." She said, trailing of.

Syaoran blushed. "I told you already. I've decided to stay." He stated, looking at a random spot in the ceiling in embarrassment _As if it wasn't weird enough with our bodies unchanged._ He thought ironically

Sakura smiled, not realizing the true meaning behind Syaoran's thought. "Thanks. This is weird for me too."

Kero laughed. "You haven't seen half of it."

They fell in silence. Sakura and Syaoran started reflecting together on how awkward that situation could get. It was a strange experience for both of them to think together. Their thoughts would overlay each other, sometimes completing and sometimes changing the other's point of view. The result was one single current of thoughts that reflected both views on the matter at the same time. Everything was as clear to one as to the other. In a second they had thought together on how easy it could be for one's thought to slip and go to an embarrassing memory, or how one could have to pretend being the other at school if they didn't fix the change soon. Finally something occurred to Syaoran that had gone by unnoticed, breaking that smooth flow.

"Did you say that my mother is at Daidouji-san's house?" He said.

Kero nodded. "Yep, I was surprised when Tomoyo told me too."

Sakura felt as if she was being pulled out of a short trance. Her mind went back to functioning normally by itself. "I don't know much about that either. Apparently Tomoyo-chan and her mother knew your mother somehow, but I'm still pretty confused."

"All she told me was that your mother and her mother became friends here in Japan when she was still very small and lost contact with each other over the last few years." Kero said.

Syaoran felt he needed a rest from all that craziness going on around him. Upon thinking that, he found out that Sakura felt just the same. They looked at each other and shared a rare reciprocal smile.

"I guess it must be weird seeing yourself smile." Sakura said, not bothering to conceal her thoughts. It would be pointless anyway. "I know it is for me. Especially being you the one behind it." She smiled brighter.

Syaoran blushed again. "That's... It's not important right now." He said, changing his expression drastically "We should stop all the chit chat and start looking for the card."

Sakura felt disappointed. She could now feel the exact opposite from what she felt when her thoughts were aligned with Syaoran. His mind felt distant now and she couldn't hear a single thought coming from it. As a matter of fact, she didn't even hear his voiced mixed with hers when he spoke.

Kero didn't bother with the situation. He agreed with Syaoran's words. "Well said, brat. I've already thought of a plan to find it."

"What is that?" Syaoran asked.

"I can't tell you." Kero declared with a clever smirk on. He was immediately met with a punch from Syaoran. It wasn't as strong as it used to be when he used his own hand, but Sakura's strength was enough to take down the little guardian.

"Li-kun!" Sakura said in a scolding tone, thought she agreed that Kero had asked for that.

Syaoran snorted. "He had it coming." He grabbed Kero by the back of his neck. "Now, will you stop fooling around?"

Kero was still dizzy from the punch. His eyes were looking at random directions and he had a goofy smile on. "Sakura? Why are you so mad?" He asked in a groggy voice. "Let me go Sakura!"

Syaoran sighed. "I don't need his help." He threw the guardian on the sofa. "I'll find the card by myself." He said.

Sakura gasped. "What?" Syaoran was already putting sneakers on. "How are you going to do that?"

"I don't know." He said. "But I'll go insane if I don't get my mind back to myself." He said.

Saying that made him remember the spell. _To get my mind back..._ He couldn't help now but think how unimportant getting the card was compared to his other task.

**ººººFLASHBACKºººº**

There he was, in the white fog, slave to the will of that mysterious man.

Syaoran could almost feel the puppet master smiling in satisfaction. A relived satisfaction. "From this moment on I will present you with three possibilities. I won't use my powers to change your choice, so you must think well."

Syaoran nodded. He was willing to do just about anything to finally end the month-long soul torture he had been through.

"Possibility number one: You stay in Japan and I'll tell you how you can get rid of the spell. I can't guarantee you it will be easy or quick though. Possibility number two: You go back to Hong Kong and live your life just like your mother wants you to. Eventually, your feelings and memories of Sakura will fade and I will be able to remove the spell without serious consequences. However, this may take months, years or it may never happen at all. Possibility number three: you go back to Hong Kong, I put the spell out and erase your memory of all that's happened here, thus eliminating any chance of insanity." The voice concluded. "It's your choice."

Syaoran laughed at himself at the temptation he felt of taking the third possibility. _Run away._ He had been surprising himself at how much he wasn't caring anymore for who was this man talking to him or why did he want Sakura to be protected. It didn't matter. All that mattered was getting himself rid of the problem and the third choice was the fastest way to do that. He not only would get rid of it but, from his point of view, it would have never even existed in the first place.

'When I get nervous about something, I usually eat a lot, but when that doesn't help, the best thing to do is to face the problem straight on.'

"I've made my choice already." He said confidently.

"Good."

"I'll stay!" The boy declared with all of his confidence. "I haven't given up yet."

"I expected as much from you." The voice said. "Very well. I'll tell you how to take out the spell completely."

"Go ahead." Syaoran demanded impatiently.

"Like I said, once I remove the spell, Sakura will seem like a stranger to you. You'll remember all you felt for her but you won't feel it anymore. You loose sight of what's real and what's memory. It may drive you insane, you understand?" Syaoran nodded, not sure if it meant something to nod in that crazy fog. Nonetheless the voice kept talking. "What you need is something to grasp in the moments of doubt. Something you know that came from you, not from the spell. You need a memory that's real and yours."

Syaoran raised a brow. "I'm not sure I understand."

"From now on I won't interfere with your thoughts anymore. The real world will be as free of the spell as this one we're in. Use this to create something that you can relate to Sakura." The voice said, getting more intense with each word. "All of the feelings, good or bad, which you developed for her until now, were a consequence of my interference. Now you need to develop something new. Something that will stay even when the spell is completely broken and that will overwhelm all of the memories you will have of the fake feelings you lost. It will be your reality, not mine."

Syaoran could feel a fire burning in those words. The voice had said them with passion and that had gotten even trough Syaoran's hard shell. He couldn't help but feel encouraged to do as he was told. "Alright. What I need is to find something that I feel about her not because of the spell, but because of me and her. Is that it?"

"That's it."

**ººººEND OF FLASHBACKºººº**

All of those memories rushed trough Syaoran's head too quickly, carrying with them traits of other memories involving the same subject in a matter of seconds.

Judging from Sakura's face of pure shock, she had remembered all of that along with Syaoran. Of course, for Sakura, it was the first time visiting those memories.

Syaoran had intended to tell her sooner or later about the spell, but still, that didn't feel like the right way to do it. He intended to explain himself slowly so she could grasp the situation in its true form, not to throw the truth on her like that, expecting her to take it all without protest. He sure hadn't.

Sakura's mind was going through all that on her own. Once again she felt the link between their minds growing faint, and his thoughts weren't coming to her as clear as before. She wondered if they were even coming at all. He wasn't looking at her, though she couldn't stop looking at him. He was literally inside her body but she had never felt him so distant from her before.

The weird thing about understanding another one's thoughts is that they don't always come in words, images or sounds. Sometimes they come in concepts. That was the case with Sakura at that time. Syaoran had accidentally explained to her almost all that he knew about the spell without thinking or saying anything more than what was in his memories. Sakura had picked the 'understanding' of the spell directly from his mind. That only increased the shock effect.

"Li-kun..." Sakura started. To Syaoran's surprise he could only hear the voice coming out of his body's mouth. The one in his head that had paired with it until now was completely gone. "...do I know you?" She asked, being that the first thing that came to her mind.

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**A/N:** _Another one gone. Getting really into the characters minds now. It only gets worse in the next part._

_Any doubts? Complaints? Sorrows? Confessions? Go ahead and review. So long as you talk about the story I__'__ll read anything you want put in there. _

_Bye! See you next chapter._


	22. Sakura and Syaoran, Act IV, Part 1

Namaste!

**A/N:**_ I'm sorry! Really! You have no idea how much I hate not posting when I'm supposed to, but I had my internet cut and nearly lost a motherboard in a series of unfortunate events. So I'm sorry for those who were disappointed last week. I'll do my best to avoid this sort of incident in the future. Thanks for your understanding... and your reviews._

**Disclaimer: Yep... they still own it. **

**The plot thickens:** _Sakura and Syaoran found out that the Change's powers went beyond switching their bodies. It also created a link between their minds. This link left their thoughts exposed to each other and soon Syaoran accidentally showed Sakura all the truth about the spell. From the day he'd found out about it, through all the confusion he'd been through, to the day he found out that the only way to get rid of it without going insane would be to find something that he felt for Sakura that he could be sure wasn't caused by the spell. Sakura was paralyzed from the shock, after all it all seemed unimaginable to her._

_I recommend re-reading the excerpt from Clow's diary and the flashback from the past chapter, but you don't have to if you don't feel like it. It's just that they are both very relevant for the next few chapters. And remember the little important thing we talked about? Sakura means Sakura in Syaoran's body. Keep remembering that and you'll have a much better experience with this chapter._

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 9:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act IV_

**Part 1:** _Who are you? Who, who?_

To Syaoran's surprise he could only hear the voice coming out of his body's mouth. The one in his head that had paired with it until now was completely gone. None of that mattered however. He had a much bigger concern in mind.

"...do I even know you?" Sakura asked, being that the first thing that came to her mind.

Syaoran felt like screaming. _Why does it have to be so sudden?_

"No... You never did." He said with sorrow, but preserving a straight expression. "From the day we met not a single word that came out of my mouth..." He was still putting his sneakers on, but faster now. He was in a rush to get away.

Sakura felt her eyes start to burn. If what she had understood was true. Syaoran had never meant to protect her, nor had he ever really cared about her. Once again that shelter, the memory of the Syaoran in her dream, was crumbling down to being just a dream.

The boy, on the other hand, was worried if he was ever going to get back the chance the puppet master had given him to break the spell. At least that's what he was concerned about until taking his eyes off his sneakers and looking at Sakura. Her eyes were watering up and her lips were trembling. If she were still in her own body Syaoran was sure it would have reminded him of when she had asked him to stay in Japan.

_Is she going to cry? I don't think I can watch myself crying._ He thought as Sakura rubbed her eye with the back of her hand. His hand rather.

Silence set in. Syaoran finally grabbed his jacket, turned around and headed outside the apartment.

Sakura watched him push the elevator button with tears still forming in her eyes. It took a long uncomfortable moment for the elevator to climb all the way to the apartment. When a ringing sound announced its arrival Sakura finally gathered the courage to speak up.

"I don't believe you!" She shouted, frowning.

That shocked Syaoran. He had never seen Sakura shouting like that, with so much feeling. He had to stop and listen, though he didn't look at Sakura in the eye, and that annoyed her more now than it ever had before.

"You said you've never shown the real you, but that's a lie!" Sakura stated. "I understand perfectly now."

Syaoran snorted. "I don't think you do. Whenever I was around you, that guy was pulling his strings and making me do whatever he wanted me to." He said, losing his composure and letting emotion take over. "I could feel him doing it every time; I just didn't know it was him back then."

Sakura shook her head hardly. "No. He wasn't there all the time. I know." She said. "I always knew that there was something wrong with your aura, but whenever I asked Kero-chan, he'd avoid the subject. Now I know why your mana was so cold most of the time."

Syaoran nodded. "See? I'm telling you."

"But that's exactly the point." Sakura said. "There were times when I could feel your real aura. I could see the real you beneath the shell."

Syaoran's attention was caught. He turned slowly to face Sakura. "You..."

Sakura smiled, she had eye contact with him now and that made her feel much more secure. "Ever since you saved me from the Shot, I thought you were different, now I know why. The one who saved me back there was the real you." She said, feeling Syaoran's heart warming up along with hers. "That's the aura I've felt whenever I thought that we were becoming better friends." Her eyes looked up to Syaoran and, for a moment, Syaoran was sure that he was seeing Sakura and not himself standing in front of him. He could hear her voice in his head again as she talked. "That's the you that protected me in my dream. If I've seen that side of you before then it can't have been all a lie. Somewhere inside, the real you has been struggling with this spell all along. That's why I do know you, and If I knew of this spell sooner I'm sure that I'd be doing my best to help you get rid of it... the real you."

Syaoran stared at Sakura's eyes with disbelief. All she had said was new to him. She had faced the spell so firmly and had managed to cope with it so quickly that it made him feel stupid in wanting to run away from it before. After all, even though his feelings were being manipulated, he could still look at that situation and notice it was wrong. From the beginning he knew his behavior towards Sakura was strange and he tried to understand it. Something inside him would always fight back this kind of thing even if the spell directly told him not to.

He felt himself filled with energy.

"Kinomoto-san..." He started, trying not to get overexcited. "I... I really wish I could agree with you completely on that, and maybe I should, but I'll never be able to ask you to trust me, or even trust myself, until I'm free of this spell. For now all I can assure you is that I'm trying to get rid of it."

Sakura's smile fell. "Li-kun..."

"We should split up and look for the card." Syaoran said looking away from Sakura again. Sakura immediately felt the effects of loosing eye contact with him. He seemed distant again, but she could still hear his voice in her mind when he spoke. "It'll be easier since we can connect our thoughts." He entered the elevator. "Come on, close that door and get in. It's cold outside, so you can grab one of those jackets by the door."

"What about Kero-chan?" Sakura asked, looking at the dizzy beast lying on the couch. "You go ahead, I'll stay with him and we'll follow you when he wakes up."

Syaoran nodded. "Ok." He entered the elevator and the doors closed behind him when he pressed the button. The curious thing was that he didn't feel like he and Sakura had split up. It was as if they were still right beside each other. He could even see Sakura's surroundings, though very vaguely.

Sakura went back inside and sat beside Kero. She started thinking about all that had just happened. Of course, she couldn't even try to hide it from Syaoran, and once again they started thinking in harmony. That strange method of thinking proved itself to be far more effective than any conversation. Instead of long sentences, their thoughts traveled in intentions or ideas, allowing a quick and precise communication. A wordless dialog between them ensued.

Sakura was wondering how exactly it felt to see someone through eyes that weren't yours. Not in the way she was seeing through Syaoran's eyes right now, but in a more metaphorical sense, like the way Syaoran was seeing things through the puppet master's eyes. Syaoran wouldn't have found any words to explain it, but through his thoughts Sakura could understand just how confused he'd been. He remembered some of the strangest moments in the past month, unintentionally. Sakura easily grasped how Syaoran had been dealing with that and why he'd behaved so coldly in the past.

Next, Syaoran thought how it displeased him to have his thoughts so vulnerable to Sakura. He wanted to tell her about the spell in a subtle way, but the Change was turning him into an open book. He wasn't the kind to show his emotional side to anyone. Now, he had no choice but to take Sakura's mind in his and let her search him for any personal feeling he could have. It wasn't Sakura's fault; after all, she did it as involuntarily as him.

Sakura, despite being more outgoing, agreed with Syaoran on that. They weren't allowed to have any private thoughts. Not even one. That takes the individuality out of anybody. Though she had noticed that as long as they remained in that flowing mix of thoughts it was easier to regulate her mind not to think of anything she would regret latter. It was as if one was holding the other's mind in a calm, controlled place.

Syaoran agreed with that, and even thought that such experience was probably unique. _Something transcedental._ He thought. Sakura agreed, though she noted that it was as scary as it was mysterious, and Clow had to be very powerful to make something like this.

By that time, the elevator doors had opened and part of Syaoran's mind was occupied with walking and looking for any trace of the card, which severely cut their mind connection.

Sakura wondered if maybe they weren't a hundred percent connected after all, remembered how distant Syaoran had felt a minute ago. The fact that Syaoran's thoughts on that possibility never came confirmed her theory.

Kero opened his eyes and looked around him, adjusting his pupils to the light and putting them in focus. "Huh? Brat?" He asked, looking at Sakura.

Sakura woke up from her small trance. "Kero-chan, it's me. Have you forgotten?"

Kero slapped his forehead. "Oh yeah. The Change." He said. "Where's the brat?"

"He's out looking for the card; but guess what? I think I've figured out a way to stop reading Li-kun's mind." She said excitedly. "We just have to focus on our senses instead of our thoughts."

Kero smirked. "Good." He said. "Now about the brat, he's not going to find the card by himself you know?"

Sakura's smile disappeared, giving place to curiosity. "Why not?"

"The Change is hiding somewhere, waiting patiently for the moment it decides to change you back. It's not shaped like a chameleon for just any reason." Kero said. "It wouldn't have wasted mana with his magic on you if it didn't have a reason."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Hoe! You mean it actually chose me and Li-kun for something?"

Kero nodded, frowning to pretend he was thinking hard. "It's not the kind of card that likes to do pranks. It probably sensed some sort of conflict between you two that needed resolution." He said with a deep voice.

Sakura blinked twice. "Conflict?"

Kero nodded again. He made a long dramatic pause. "Sakura, there's something I have to tell you." He said in a deep voice, which he judged as extremely cool. "There's something about the brat that you don't know." He declared dramatically

"The spell that controls his thoughts?" Sakura asked blatantly.

Kero face faulted. "How did you..."

Sakura giggled. "Our minds are connected, remember? He just happened to think about it." She paused, looking a little less happy. "He couldn't really help it I guess."

"That means you're not shocked or anything?" Kero asked.

Sakura shook her head. "I was surprised at first, but when I stopped to think about it, it explained a lot of weird things that happened. Like Li-kun's two auras for instance." She said. "Now I know that the aura from my dream was the real one. I'm pretty happy with that actually."

Kero was as surprised as he expected Sakura to be. "But... that means you don't have any problems with everything that it implies?" He insisted. "That magic used on him was forbidden back when Clow was alive because it would usually cause serious problems to the psyche of those involved."

Sakura shook her head again. "It's not that complicated if you stop to think about it." She said. "Li-kun is still Li-kun. I've been thinking that a part of him was him, but it was a fake. But I've also known the true side of him. It's easy to tell the difference."

Kero laughed to himself. "You're really full of surprises, Sakura." He said. "But anyway, as I was saying, the card will only change you back when it thinks you two have gotten over your conflict. It will discreetly watch you until then."

"Hoe? You mean it could be watching me right now?" Sakura asked, looking around herself.

Kero nodded. "Yes, and you'll never be able to find it."

Sakura fell on her knees. "I feel so impotent."

Kero sighed. "I know. That's why I wanted to tell you and the brat that the best way to find it was to let it show itself, by solving your conflict that is."

"But that's the problem. I don't have any conflict now that I understand Li-kun's problem." Sakura protested.

"Or so you think. Our conflicts are mostly stored in the back of our head, Sakura. In places we don't even have access to sometimes." Kero stated. "Can you really say that you aren't a bit bothered by the fact that the brat is not really who you thought he was? Can you really say that you don't wish he hadn't hidden it from you?"

"But..."

"I'm just saying that the card will only show when you really are free of any problems."

"You mean we have to get rid of the spell first?" Sakura asked.

"Exactly."

"Alright!" Sakura exclaimed with determination. "I'll find a way to help Li-kun!"

Upon completing her sentence Sakura felt a wave of dizziness run through her head. She lost her balance and fell on the floor.

"Sakura!" Kero yelled, flying to the girl's side. "Are you ok?" He called. There was no response. Upon closer inspection he noticed that the girl was unconscious "What the... Sakura!"

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**A/N:**_ Yes, I know it's short, and yes, I know that I used that cliffhanger before. The curious thing is that it wasn't really meant to be a cliffhanger over here since all the parts of 'Sakura and Syaoran Act IV' were originally conceived as one big chapter. And I'm not just about to change my story, so get over it and accept thatsomething happened to Sakura and I have a good reason for killing her... I mean... uh... hehe..._

_Bye! _


	23. Sakura and Syaoran, Act IV, Part 2

Hiya!

**A/N:** _Not much time for notes... so little time that I won__'__t even write a __"__Plot thickens__"__ session! Man, this week just flew by. I intended to give the reviewers some special thanks today, but there__'__s no time either. Sorry about that everybody, I__'__ll just have to thank you like I usually do... Gosh... I even intended to get back to replying the reviews... I__'__ll try to fix this next week. Thank you!_

_Oh! And Sakura didn__'__t die! That was just a joke... I was amazed at how well it worked... I guess I__'__m starting to understand the __'__Paul is dead__'__ thing now. I__'__ll be more careful with my jokes next time. Anyway... moving on..._

**Disclaimer: Can****'****t waste time thinking of a semi-funny disclaimer. Gotta post this soon!**

_Read this little note:_

**Kissaten **_**- **__Japanese caf__é__. You know, cute waitress, a few dishes with curious names and the basic salt/ketchup/toothpicks/napkins combo waiting for you in every table._

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 9:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act IV_

**Part 2:**_ The Kissaten_

Nadeshiko watched the clock nervously. "Sakura-chan should be home by now." She said. "Touya-kun, maybe we should try calling Sonomi-chan again."

Touya sighed. _Can't she get in trouble in more appropriate times?_ He put a hand over Nadeshiko's shoulders. "Don't worry; I'm sure she's fine."

"But..." Nadeshiko was interrupted by a ring of the phone.

"I'll get it." Touya said, picking up the receiver that was already right beside him.

"Hello?" Nadeshiko watched anxiously as he started a conversation. "Sonomi-san, how are you doing?" He waited for the answer, it took longer than Nadeshiko expected, but Touya's expression didn't reveal anything of whatever he was listening. "Alright, thanks for telling us." He said, and waited again. "Don't worry; I'll make sure to tell her. Bye." He waited for the answer and hung up.

Nadeshiko stepped forward expectantly. "So, what did she say?"

"Tomoyo's already home, and she said that Sakura's studying at a friend's house." Touya answered, acting uninterested. "She doesn't know when she'll be back, but she'll call if she decides to sleepover."

Nadeshiko let out the air she was holding along with her tension. "Sakura-chan... she should have called me."

"Well..." Touya said, heading for the front door. "I think I'm going for a walk." He stated suddenly. _Gotta find out what__'__s really going on._

Nadeshiko blinked at him in confusion. "But it's almost time for dinner."

"I just feel like walking a bit." Touya said, he put on his shoes and opened the door. "You can have dinner without me. Bye." He closed the door behind him without giving time for his mother to protest.

Nadeshiko was left staring at the closed door in confusion. "Touya-kun... what are you hiding?"

* * *

Yelan, Sonomi and Wei were holding a conversation on Tomoyo's living room. Meanwhile, Tomoyo and Mei Ling where at the girl's room. 

Mei Ling was staring through the window, feeling uncomfortable. Tomoyo watched her, trying to think of what to say.

Finally, Mei Ling broke the silence. She looked at Tomoyo. "I'm sorry for screaming at you." She said and it was obvious she didn't find it easy to do so. "But I was really looking forward to seeing Syaoran, and when I got here everything was turned upside down..."

Tomoyo smiled. "Don't worry. I'm glad you told me about this spell on Li-kun." She said. "I had really been fooled by it."

Mei Ling sighed. "He's a bit dense sometimes, so it's no wonder he was easily caught in a spell of that nature."

Tomoyo giggled. "I guess that's true." She said. "But knowing about this spell, I can't say I really know much about him anymore, can I?"

Mei Ling almost smiled. "Yeah..."

They didn't speak anything more for a while. Mei Ling went back to staring at the front yard trough the window and Tomoyo sat on her bed, just waiting for her mother's call.

Mei Ling had the first chance since she had gotten to Japan to settle down and think straight. Indeed, she'd had plenty of time to think straight back in China, but now there were new things to consider.

First of all: the spell.

Yelan hadn't been very specific, and the girl hadn't seen Syaoran yet so she couldn't tell how exactly it changed him, but she knew that it was hurting him on the inside and that was bad enough.

Then came the Kinomoto girl, she's the one for whom Syaoran's feelings had been messed up, but she couldn't really be blamed could she? Not only that, she was now inside Syaoran's body, and she couldn't be blamed again. That was very annoying. Mei Ling didn't like that Sakura wasn't really doing anything wrong.

What kind of relationship had they developed in the past month? Syaoran saw her as a younger sister, right? But at the same time he didn't, so that could get confusing. But what about the girl? What did she think of Syaoran? Tomoyo had said that Sakura looked up to him, so maybe she saw him like a big brother too.

But none of that mattered. The girl would just have to get used to the idea that Syaoran wasn't really who she thought he was and that, liking him or not, he was taken already. If Sakura understood that, maybe she might even let her befriend Syaoran. He needed to socialize more after all.

Then there was this Tomoyo girl. Apparently she already knew of the cards for a while. Was it just a coincidence that Sakura's friend was the daughter of Yelan's friend? Apparently her aunt was surprised too. But there had to be some reason for that. If Yelan was already friend of this Sonomi for so long she must have known she would be somehow related to the cards. The best way was probably asking Tomoyo.

"Daidouji-san..." She called, getting Tomoyo's attention.

"Yes?" Tomoyo inquired curiously.

"How exactly did your mother meet my aunt?" She asked, trying not to sound too interested.

Tomoyo's face brightened up. "When I was very small, Yelan-san came to Japan, she said she was here on a business trip." Tomoyo told Mei Ling who listed to every word with a disguised attention "We didn't live in Tomoeda back then. We only came here five years ago when my father passed away. Yelan-san was looking for a place to stay and she ended up renting a house that belonged to my mother."

"What was she doing here exactly?" Mei Ling asked, starting to show off her interest in the story.

Tomoyo tried to remember. "I don't know, I was too young back then." She said. "All I remember was that in the middle of showing the house to Yelan-san, my mom became acquainted with her. She'd visit us almost everyday, and she was really nice to us. I don't remember much more. If I had remembered her family name I would have recognized Li-kun's name. Anyway, after a couple of weeks she went back to China. She and my mother sent each other letters, but as time went by they lost touch with each other. I guess it's all a big coincidence that the cards showed up to my best friend of all people."

Mei Ling nodded. "Yeah... maybe." She said, not really believing it. "What about her?"

Tomoyo blinked in confusion. "Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah." Mei Ling said. "How did you meet her?"

Tomoyo giggled. "I can't say I remember. We've known each other ever since we were babies." She said. "Our mothers are cousins and best friends too. As a matter of fact, Sakura-chan's mother is the reason my mother decided to move here to Tomoeda."

Mei Ling couldn't accept that it was just a coincidence. Could Yelan have come so close to Sakura in the past and not have noticed her powers? Though it was probably true that Sakura hadn't actually met Yelan in the past.

"How long has she lived here in Tomoeda?" Mei Ling insisted, like a detective questioning a suspect.

"Sakura-chan? Ever since I can remember, I'm not sure when it was exactly." Tomoyo complied to her interrogation. "Though I think her mother moved in here when she got married."

"Hum... So my aunt's never met Kinomoto-san's family before."

"I guess not. It's possible, but I don't think it ever happened."

The door to the bedroom opened, Sonomi came in. "Ready girls? Let's eat shall we?"

* * *

Syaoran was walking aimlessly through the streets of Tomoeda. He had no idea of where to start looking for the card, but he knew that if he stopped focusing on his search his mind would regain his connection with Sakura and he really needed some privacy for the moment. Even if he couldn't focus on his thoughts it was better than sharing them at the moment. 

He had tried going back to the park and look for any trace of the card, but it hadn't left a single trail behind. Not that Tomoeda was exactly the best place to find trails.

After a while, he decided to rest a bit and check to see how Sakura was doing. His stomach was asking for some food, so he walked into a nearby kissaten and took a seat on an empty table. There was already a menu waiting in each of the four seats.

_Kinomoto-san!_ He tried to call out, but got no response. As a matter of fact, after being so much time without making any mind contact he didn't even know how to regain the connection. _Have I lost it?_ He wondered.

A waitress came to the side of the table. "Are you alone little girl?" She asked.

Syaoran was about to protest on that when he remembered that he in fact looked like a little girl. "Y...yes." He said, blushing.

The waitress shrugged her shoulders. "Ok, so what will you be ordering?"

"I'll have a..." Syaoran cut himself in the middle of the sentence. "Oh no... I don't have any money!" He cursed himself, feeling all of his pockets. There wasn't anything inside. Of course not. Those were the clothes that they had dressed him in while he was asleep. Why would they put money in there?

"Don't worry Syaoran, we don't want your money." The woman said.

Syaoran jumped up in surprise. "What? How do you know my name?"

"Don't you remember me?" The waitress said. Her voice wasn't that of a young girl anymore. It was a man's voice.

"This voice..." Syaoran palled. Memories of the thick white fog and that ethereal feeling rushed into his head. "It's you!"

The woman smiled. "I'm glad you remembered. I'm taking this fake form for now; it wouldn't be convenient showing you my face."

Syaoran looked around him. He noticed now that there wasn't anybody else in the kissaten. "What's going on here?" He asked the man/woman. "What did you do to everybody?"

The waitress waved her hands in front of her defensively. "Don't misunderstand me." She said. "I made you sleep in a park bench, and I've already provided so that no one comes nearby while you sleep. We're actually in your dream. It's almost the same as the other times I talked to you."

"But why a kissaten this time?" Syaoran asked. "What happened to that white fog?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "You can ask yourself that. I promised not to use the spell anymore, remember? I can't manipulate your dreams, so all that you see is your own creation. I suppose you made this kissaten cause you were hungry."

"Oh..." Was all Syaoran said. He was surprised to see that it was his voice coming out of his mouth now. He looked down and recognized his own body below his head. "I'm me again!"

"So it is." The waitress said, not really as excited as Syaoran. "But remember, this is just a dream."

Syaoran nodded, he examined himself some more. It felt real enough for him. "Alright." He finally spoke. "What do you want with me?"

The waitress sat down across from Syaoran. "I wanted to have a chat with you and Sakura."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "Kinomoto-san?"

"Li-kun?" Syaoran jumped up in surprise. He turned around and saw Sakura standing at the door to the kissaten, looking around. "What's going on?"

Syaoran's mouth fell open. Sakura was also back at her own body. He looked at the waitress. "Is that really her?"

The woman nodded. "That's her. I brought her along inside your dream. Your mind link made it easier for me, of course." She said, with her mysterious and clever tone of voice. "Don't worry. You can't hear each other's thoughts here."

"Li-kun... what's happening?" Sakura asked, shocked. "Her voice..."

Syaoran sighed. He had learned not to loose his cool around the puppet master already. He was the kind that always had control of the situation, but Sakura was still new to his strange and powerful presence.

"Kinomoto-san... It's kinda hard to explain." He said. "This woman is actually a disguise for that man. The one who cast the spell."

Sakura was even more surprised now. "Hoe?" She looked from Li-kun to the smiling waitress. She looked sympathetic, but there was something more. Something she was hiding. She really looked like a puppet master, just like Syaoran had called her. Sakura felt an urge to get mad at the waitress, but Syaoran was so calm, she felt like there was something she was missing and she didn't want to make a fool out of herself.

"Sakura-san, please take a seat beside Syaoran." The waitress said. "I have some explanations and some advice to give you."

Sakura hesitatingly walked to the table and sat beside the boy. They exchanged quick glances, and Sakura could find some support in Syaoran's eyes, as if they were telling her not to worry.

"First of all." The waitress started. "Sakura-san, this place is actually Syaoran's dream. That's why you're both in your original bodies and that's how you got here out of the blue." She said. "That said, I'd like to congratulate you both properly. You've been doing an amazing job getting the cards back, and I must say that your magic power is far exceeding my expectations."

That complement had been bothersome to Sakura. She didn't quite understand what he was trying to say. What was his relation to the cards? Where the cards just a test for them?

"I'd also like to tell you not to worry about me for now." The puppet master continued. "In the end it will all be made clear. For now just remember that you have to capture the cards. Having magic powers and knowledge sometimes asks of you to play the superhero, doesn't it?" He said jokingly. "But I assure you that there are no super-villains in your story, so you don't have to waste time trying to stop me or stop my plans."

Sakura looked at Syaoran again, he didn't seem very interested. Maybe he had heard that talk before. For her, on the other hand, it seemed like a whole new problem was being added to her card collecting adventure. The puppet master seemed much more relevant now that they had met in person. It felt as if the whole point of capturing the cards was to satisfy that person.

The woman kept talking. "Speaking of capturing the cards. I have a thing or two to tell you about The Change." She said. "As you might know, it's a card meant to solve a conflict between two people. It forces them to see the other's point of view. Your case was kind of different. It went beyond understanding the other, but I still think the mind connection might have helped speed up the process."

Syaoran cringed. "Are you saying..."

"You see. After you decided you wanted to stay in Japan, Syaoran, I observed that despite your determination, you'd have a hard time finding what you needed. That true feeling regarding Sakura-san." The waitress said. "I thought through that whole day about a way to help you without using the spell. I needed a way to help you find the answer faster, but with your own efforts. That's when I remembered that you hadn't captured The Change yet."

Syaoran frowned; he slammed the table with his palm. "So you actually..."

The waitress smiled in a way Sakura and Syaoran thought was kind of evil. They couldn't help but feel she was having fun at their expense. "Please. I just lured it to you because I thought it would help you. I'm still convinced that it was a good idea. Isn't it because of the card that Sakura-san has come to understand what you've been through this past month? Could you have possibly explained it to her better than you did using just words?"

"That's not..." Syaoran started to protest but was interrupted by Sakura.

"Wait Li-kun!" Syaoran looked at her impatiently. "Maybe he's right. If it weren't for the card, you would probably have to go a much longer way before we could both understand the situation like we do now." She looked down. "I don't think I would have really understood how serious this is if I hadn't seen it from your point of view." She said shyly

Syaoran's anger disintegrated. He couldn't bear to disagree with Sakura. He chose to blame the spell for that. "Fine..." He said like a little kid who is forced to agree with a rule imposed by his parents.

The waitress cleared her throat. "Thank you Sakura-san, I'm glad you could see my point of view." She said. "Moving on, you won't be able to capture the card before you get rid of the spell. It is a master of hiding, and it will only show itself when it has fulfilled its purpose. But don't worry; I think you're very close to finding the answer to your problem. You just need a little more time to realize it."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"You'll see soon." The waitress said. She made a small pause. "Well, that's about it. I just wanted to make sure you were both aware of your objectives and your situation. Thank you for listening."

_As if we had a choice._ Syaoran thought.

"To prove that I'm only trying to help, I'll leave a goodbye gift." The waitress said. "I'll use my magic to hold back The Change's powers a bit, now that it has served its purpose. This way your mind link will be limited to very focused thoughts, avoiding any unintentional secret revealing."

"You can do that?" Syaoran asked, surprised.

"Of course. The only disadvantage to this is that you'll no longer be able to enter those wonderful dynamic conversations that the Change allowed you to have. You'll have to focus a lot so you won't be able to let your thoughts flow together like you did." The puppet master pointed out. "Bye now, and remember, the answer is right there, inside the two of you." She said before snapping her fingers.

In a second the Kissaten had vanished and the couple was sucked back to consciousness.

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**A/N:** _Still no time for notes. Hope you enjoyed, review, yadda, yadda, bye!_


	24. Sakura and Syaoran, Act IV, Part 3

Fala! Blza?

**Skip this if you don't really give a damn about why I'm not updating every week anymore**_I won't lie to you. I really am being lazy lately. But I'm not sorry or anything, cause I have one hell of a good reason for being lazy. That is: I'm spending ALL my energy in studies. I hope to get into college next year, and here in Brazil we have to take entrance exams in any college we want enter. This exam is called vestibular and it is basically a test about everything you have learned in school ever since you were born. As a matter of fact, everything that is studied in Brazil before college is just preparation for that test. At least that's the case for my general social class. So you can see how much pressure is put on a student when he's a few months away from that test. It's basically a test to decide who gets in the best colleges and who doesn't go to college at all. If we don't get in any college than we have to either spend a year studying out asses in some expensive cram school or we can give up and become a fast-food attendant. None of those is very pleasant. So there... I'll be pretty stressed for the next few months and, no matter how much I enjoy it, fan fiction takes time and dedication, both of which I'm spending on my studies._

_There... I ranted enough... Thanks for putting up with my laziness and general lack of responsibility. Thanks for reviewing, but most importantly, thanks for reading this fic all the way trough here. It's already a hundred thousand words you've read from me! ) _

**Disclaimer: "**_Hey! Check it out! It's that guy who totally doesn't own CCS, Magma Dragoon! Let's ask for an autograph_**" Said the insane fan girl as the drool ran down her chin. I gave her an autograph just so she would stop staring at me. The way her eyes twitched every time she said something... And that psycho smile... I think I'll never sleep at peace again. But she was right on me not owning CCS though... **

_I don't think there's any need to repeat it but... Sakura means Sakura in Syaoran's body! And remember that the puppet master said he'd make the mind like between them weaker._

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 9:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act IV_

**Part 3:** _Clow's Burden_

Sakura slowly opened her eyes. She felt heavy.

_Of course I'm heavy. I'm back in Li-kun's body._ She told herself.

Her head was lying on a soft pillow, her body on a couch. She was still in Syaoran's living room.

To her surprise, Kero wasn't the only one there with her anymore.

"Sakura-chan!" She heard Tomoyo calling.

"Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura looked to her side and saw Tomoyo standing a couple of feet away from the couch. "Shouldn't you be at the dinner?"

Tomoyo shook her head. "Sakura-chan, you've been sleeping for nearly three hours. It's almost ten o'clock already."

Sakura fell down on the floor. "Hoe?" She picked herself up clumsily. "Three hours?"

"You just fainted all of a sudden." Kero, who had been flying beside Sakura, said. "What happened?"

"Oh..." Sakura looked at Kero's and Tomoyo's curious faces. "That's a long story. Why don't we... Hoe?" She then noticed that there was someone else in the room. "You're Li-kun's cousin!" She exclaimed surprised. Mei Ling was staring back at her with the same suspicious face from before. "Mei Ling, right?"

"Right!" Mei Ling said. She had her arms folded and was trying to look and sound as stubborn as possible. "And you're Kinomoto Sakura, right?" She said, mimicking Sakura's question in a silly tone.

Sakura nodded cheerfully, completely missing the mockery. "That's me." She said, oblivious to Mei Ling's behavior. "I guess we didn't meet at the best of circumstances, did we?"

Mei Ling snorted. "Can't say we did." She said. "But that's not important right now. Tell Syaoran to come here."

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Hoe?"

"You've got this mind link thingy with him, don't you?" Mei Ling asked impatiently. "Then hurry up and call him!" She demanded. "We'll explain all that we have to explain while he gets here."

Sakura nodded, feeling intimidated by the girls bossy nature. "O-ok." She tried to contact Syaoran before even having time to understand what was happening.

* * *

_Li-kun. Are you there?_

Syaoran woke up with Sakura's voice in his head. It was no surprise to him to hear her voice in his head anymore, but this time it felt a bit different from before. It sounded somewhat more distant. Indeed, the link between their minds was weaker now like the puppet master had promised. It was pretty evident to him even thought there weren't any words on the dictionary to describe exactly the difference from before.

_I'm here._ He answered.

_Could you come back to your apartment?_ Sakura asked.

Syaoran started walking to make sure he wouldn't draw any attention by standing in the middle of the park staring into the nothingness. _Why?_

_Your cousin, Mei Ling-chan. She asked you to come._

Syaoran cringed. _What's she doing there?_

_You won't believe it, but we've been asleep for three hours._

_That much? Weird... The other times he talked to me, time would slow down in the real world._ Syaoran recalled.

_I think he wanted us to rest... or maybe to delay us._ Sakura suggested.

Syaoran sighed. _Forget it. It's not important right now. I'm going over there and we'll figure what to do then._

_Ok. We'll be waiting._

* * *

"There. He's coming." Sakura announced. 

"Good!" Mei Ling said.

"I guess we can start sorting out all of this confusion, right?" Tomoyo suggested. She got approving looks from Kero and the girls. "Let's sit down then."

They all took seats on the couches, except for Kero who just stood there flying. "I think I'm going to stay at that balcony to check when the brat arrives." He said before furtively entering the kitchen. Mei Ling apparently was the only one to notice how loud he was while assaulting the fridge. _I can't believe that this stuffed toy, this glutton, is the legendary guardian._ She thought to herself.

Sakura and Tomoyo sat beside each other on one couch and Mei Ling sat on the one facing them.

Sakura noticed a curious detail on Mei Ling's behavior. Apart from having such a strong personality, she would, just like Syaoran, avoid looking directly at Sakura at any cost. Every time their eyes had met since she had woken up, the Chinese girl had turned her head away with a hard frown on her face. _I guess it's weird looking at Li-kun's face and knowing it's not him._ Sakura thought.

Tomoyo had noticed the same aspect of Mei Ling and had just taken it as another proof that she was rather fond of Syaoran. She felt weird when looking at Sakura or Syaoran in their condition too. Specially Syaoran. Part of her just couldn't accept it was him not her. As a result she knew exactly what was making Mei Ling feel so uncomfortable.

"So... Sakura-chan, I guess we owe you some explanations don't we?" Tomoyo asked her friend.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Hoe? About what?"

Mei Ling groaned. _She's forgotten about it already?_ "What do you mean 'about what'?" She asked Sakura aggressively

That's when it hit Sakura. "Oh yeah! Li-kun's mother..."

Tomoyo giggled. "Yup. Quite a surprise wasn't it?"

Sakura grinned. "Sure was." She said between giggles.

Tomoyo proceeded to explain the story to Sakura.

The calm and happy feeling that Sakura passed only helped in Mei Ling's disliking of her. As she listened to Tomoyo's story she seemed to be completely ignorant to all of the problems around her. Syaoran was going trough so much because of her and here she was acting as if things were as harmonious as paradise. _Even if she doesn't know about the spell... It's no excuse._

"In the end it was all just a huge coincidence." Tomoyo concluded. "Can you believe it?"

Sakura was excited with the story. It made her feel closer to the reality she was living. Despite Tomoyo's words, she had a feeling that it wasn't just a coincidence. Maybe she had really been meant to find those cards. Maybe she was really the rightful card mistress. Anyway, she knew that such an unexpected thing meant something. "That's incredible Tomoyo-chan."

"Alright. Are you done?" Mei Ling cut in impatiently. "We have some news for you that are actually important." She said.

Tomoyo frowned. "Calm down, Mei Ling-chan." She scolded. "It's not Sakura-chan's fault."

"But I didn't say..." Mei Ling was cut out by a glare. Tomoyo's glare was frightening in a curious way. It wasn't aggressive at all. It was more like a little reminder that she knew what you were thinking and you were making a fool out of yourself. "Ok... Maybe I'm a little angry, but I have my reasons."

Sakura looked from one girl to the other in complete confusion. "Hoe? What are you two talking about? Did I do something wrong?"

Mei Ling groaned again. _Is she pretending or is she really that dense?_

Tomoyo took Sakura's hand in hers and stared at her straight in the eye. "Sakura-chan, there's something really serious we need to tell you about Li-kun." That scared Sakura. Apparently there was something really bad that she was missing. "This might shock you, and I wish it wasn't true, but I have to tell you.

_Unless..._ She recalled a similar dialogue with Kero.

"You're not talking about the spell that controls his mind are you?" She asked blatantly just like she'd asked Kero.

Mei Ling face-faulted, Tomoyo just showed herself surprised. "You mean you know about it?" She asked, wide eyed.

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "Well... Li-kun kinda let it slip his mind and I found out."

"And you're all carefree like that?" Mei Ling asked while picking herself up. _Now she's got no excuse at all for being so carefree. It's obvious she couldn't care less about Syaoran__'__s feelings._ She thought, clenching her fist.

Sakura shook her head, smiling, and for the first time Mei Ling saw through her innocence. Her smile was so true that it made Mei Ling lose her words. Somehow, she couldn't get mad at someone like that. "It's not that." Sakura said. "I got really worried about Li-kun when I found out about the spell, but then I understood something."

Mei Ling blushed. She knew that it wasn't Syaoran in front of her, but she rarely ever got to see the boy's face smiling at her like that. Somehow she felt intimidated and charmed at the same time. "You... understood something?"

Sakura nodded. "Even though Li-kun was being controlled, a part of him has always remained true to his heart. He fought the spell at all costs and despite its powers, he managed to keep a part of himself the same. I've seen that side of him in the past, in a dream." She said, getting excited as she spoke. "Because of that I know that whatever happens, everything will be all right in the end. Li-kun will still be Li-kun, even if he has to fight hard to find out who he is."

Despite her original impressions, Mei Ling just couldn't help but liking Sakura. Her optimism was such that it made even the darkest of situations look simple. That's probably why she looked so naive. But upon knowing her a little better, Mei Ling could see that her personality held much more than just that simple innocent, positive attitude.

"Sakura-chan, that was beautiful!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

Sakura rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment "But it's just what I believe..."

Mei Ling looked at Sakura as she tried to bear with Tomoyo's compliments, finding a new respect for her. She wasn't stupid after all. She was still a little too affectionate with Syaoran, but that was a simple matter.

"Kinomoto-san." She called out.

Sakura and Tomoyo stopped their friendly argument. "Huh?"

"It's not just what you think! If you say it like that you'll never get anything accomplished!" Mei Ling made sure she sported a smile. At least this time Sakura deserved it. "If Syaoran still is the same one I've known, then we'll get rid of this spell. The part of him that's struggling against it, that'll be the key to break the magic. You'll help us save him right?"

Sakura smiled back. Mei Ling was acting friendlier now and that pleased her. "Right... Wait..." Her eyes widened suddenly. "I've got it!" She shouted out loudly, surprising Tomoyo, Mei Ling and Kero who flew in the room, wiping chocolate out of his lips.

"Got what, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked.

"I know how to break the spell." She said.

"You do?" Kero and Mei Ling asked in unison. Kero with sheer curiosity and Mei Ling with innocent hope.

"I think..." Sakura couldn't finish her sentence, Tomoyo's cellphone started ringing.

Tomoyo sighed. "Oh well, I guess our time is over." She said.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Hoe?"

Tomoyo walked out to the balcony and picked up the call, leaving Mei Ling to explain the situation to Sakura. "We told Sonomi-san that you and Syaoran were coming over to sleep at her house. It was the only way we could convince her to let us come here this late. We were just supposed to pick you two up, but Syaoran wasn't here and you were asleep. She's probably worried about us by now."

"Oh..."

Tomoyo walked back in. "Kaa-san is sending the driver to pick us up. She told us to wait downstairs." She turned to Sakura. "Can't you tell Li-kun to hurry up?"

Sakura nodded. "Alright."

* * *

Syaoran had plenty of things on his mind. He was enjoying having his privacy back, there was much he wanted to think about but had been avoiding because of Sakura. Having that in mind, he took the longest way possible to his home. 

The first thing on his list was his mother and Mei Ling. Just what in the world were they thinking? Why come to Japan now? Had it been Mei Ling's idea? _No... My mother would never do this if she didn't have a good reason._ The only things that made sense were the spell and the cards. Maybe she wanted to help him get rid of the spell, since, technically, it didn't count as part of his judgment for the clan. Either that or she wanted somehow to get the cards for the clan rather than for Sakura.

That idea displeased him. _I can't allow that._ He thought, but immediately remembered that he couldn't trust his thoughts when it came to Sakura. Probably, the only reason why he wanted Sakura to have the cards was the spell. _Though she won them fairly._ He could only conclude that there was a part of him that wanted the cards for the clan and the spell was confusing him.

"Damned spell." He cursed under his breath. Sakura had said that as long as he was fighting the spell, she could trust him. He didn't believe that completely. It was true that her point of view offered some hope to the problem, but as he had told her before, he couldn't really be trusted. Not while he couldn't trust himself. Until he was absolutely free, he would always question every thought he had. 'Was that thought authentic?' 'Would I really think that?'

Thinking about the spell, Syaoran's mind went somewhere he hadn't gone before. How would it be like once the spell was over? Would he look at Sakura and see a stranger? He would still remember all that had happened, but his feelings, fake feelings, would be gone. Almost like reseting his heart. He couldn't really relate that to any previous experience. The puppet master had told him that it could even make him go crazy. _I need something that will link the past to the present without going through the spell. I guess I get it now. If I don't have that something I will be questioning my thoughts even after the spell is gone. But how can I find this something if I question every thought about her now?_

_Li-kun._

Syaoran tripped from the shock of hearing Sakura's voice, falling face first on the floor. He was going too deep in his private thoughts. Had she heard anything? _Kinomoto-san, what is it?_ He asked, picking himself up.

_You'll have to hurry. We're going to Tomoyo-chan's house and her driver is already coming here to pick us up._

_What?!_ Syaoran asked, half surprised half angry. _Why are we going there?_

_Well, it's pretty late, and Tomoyo-chan's mother wouldn't let them come here, so they said they were coming to pick us up so we could all spend the night there._

_But... that's a terrible idea!_ Syaoran insisted.

_It's the only way. Tomoyo-chan's mother didn't suspect a thing, because I'm always sleeping there and you haven't seen your family for such a long time. We just have to pretend I'm you and you're me for a while. Plus, I think I've found a way to get rid of the spell._

Syaoran's eyes widened. _You did?_

_Yeah! It's just like the waitress said. It's right in front of us._

_What is it then?_

* * *

Touya stared at the shadowy figure standing in front of him. The boy was annoyed at the shadow and his face wore a very irritated scowl.

"Get out. I said that I wouldn't let Sakura's safety up to you anymore and I meant it." He said, not daring to walk past the other person.

The shadow just stood there, not daring to move either. "I can't allow that. It wouldn't do to have you disrupt things when they're so close to stopping my spell."

Touya seemed to be even more irritated by that comment. "You just admitted that you screwed things up, now it's my turn to do as I please." He started walking. "I'm not letting that brat inside my sister's body any longer. I'm just glad they're still young, so he probably won't be getting any funny ideas!"

The person didn't make any efforts to stop Touya. Instead, it started walking beside him.

"What are you doing?" Touya asked, annoyed at the stalking.

The person ignored his question. "You once asked me how I managed to retain my memories from my past lives. I told you that I'd tell you in the right time."

That seemed to grasp Touya's interest, as he stopped walking too fast. The boy could sense that familiar 'I'm always right' smile coming from the person beside him. He hated that smile.

"When Clow Reed died a long time ago he left some unfinished business." The person started. "He thought he might need to fix something he did while alive, so he prepared a safe proof mechanism."

Touya raised an eyebrow. He was interested in the story, even though he didn't have any interest in giving in to the person's demands. "Mechanism?"

"You see, He couldn't be sure if he would ever be reborn, but in case he did, he probably wouldn't retain his memories. That would be a problem if he intended to fix his unfinished business." The story continued.

"I suppose that you can't tell me about these unfinished businesses." Touya commented.

"Not yet."

Touya sighed. "I thought so. Go on."

"As I was saying, he needed a way to store his memories, so he put them all inside a magic staff that would find his spirit if it was ever born again." The person seemed to be getting excited at the story. "Can you imagine what it is like for a normal seven year old boy to wake up one day with a staff by his side and memories from all of Clow's reincarnations?"

Touya couldn't really feel sorry for the person. He didn't seem troubled at all. Weird, but not troubled. "So, what you're saying is that every time Clow would be reborn, this staff would find him and he would suddenly stop being a normal boy and become Clow, the magician."

The person shook his head. "That's where I wanted to get at. The thing is, I have never become Clow, nor have any of my past incarnations. I am Eriol. I have a mother I love, I have friends at school and I have all the common aspirations a young boy could have, but I also carry the burden of Clow. The burden he left for all of his future incarnations."

"Which you can't tell me what it is." Touya said sarcastically.

Eriol shook his head again. "I can't tell you what causes the burden, but I can tell you how it feels." He said. "Imagine what it's like to remember feelings you don't have. To remember several mothers, fathers, wives that you have loved, but not loving them. Me and my past lives had to go through that and every single one of them, including me, went through serious periods of madness until they learn to distinguish what was their own lives and what was just memories. In the end we all learned to look at the past lives as books full of precious information, though every now and then I still feel as if I miss those people I've never met." Eriol was getting more melancholic with every word, and Touya was starting to feel disturbed.

"Why didn't you destroy the staff then? Who would suffer that intentionally?" Touya asked, getting more interested in the story by the second, but never stopping his walk to Sakura.

"Because of Clow's unfinished business." Eriol said. "I'm afraid I can't explain it to you, but all of Clow's reincarnation did their best to fix the mistake he made years ago, and we couldn't give up until we succeeded. It was a matter of honor and necessity.

"Hum..." Touya didn't bother to question him any further. He had learned a lot from him that night, much more than he was used to, considering Eriol's mysterious nature. It was only after walking for a few more minutes that he realized something.

_Clow's burden... Having memories of feelings that aren't really yours. That's the burden the brat will have to carry when he gets rid of the spell. _He turned to face Eriol and stopped walking suddenly. Eriol seemed to know what he had just realized. "You told me this so I would look at the brat's suffering from a different point of view." He said.

Eriol nodded with a smile. "Precisely. I hope I was successful."

Touya smirked. "You are a puppet master alright. But what's the point of doing that?" He asked. "If anything, I'm only more eager to get rid of the spell now."

Eriol nodded again still smiling. "But now that I've said this, you'll believe me when I say that Syaoran's mind is in a very delicate stage right now and rushing in trying to solve every problem will only make things worse." He said. "You'll also understand when I say that I know what he's going through and therefore I am better prepared to help him get rid of the spell in a way that will hurt him the least."

Touya was getting angry at Eriol's ability to be right all the time. Could the wisdom from several lives be responsible for that? _No. I have a feeling that Clow was already like that._

"And finally, you'll agree with me that, at least while Syaoran is going through this transition, it would be best not to interfere. After all, the Change is essential for him to be ready for when I remove the spell. And having such a concrete objective like: 'get rid of the spell to get my body back' is considerably helping him have determination."

Touya felt like a little kid. The worst part was that all of that had been done by a little brat who could be as annoying as Syaoran. He nervously sighed in defeat. "After the spell is over, I won't be stopped by any crazy stories!" He concluded.

Eriol grinned cheerfully. "I wouldn't expect anything else."

* * *

Sonomi dialed the number to her friend's house once more.

"Hello." Nadeshiko said anxiously when she picked up the phone.

"Nadeshiko-chan, it's me."

"Sonomi-chan, I'm so glad you called. I'm so worried about Sakura-chan. She said she'd call if she decided to sleepover in her friend's house, but it's getting late and I haven't heard from her yet. Touya-kun said that I shouldn't worry, but I've been dying to call you."

Sonomi smiled to herself, feeling sorry for Nadeshiko. She couldn't help but look at her as her defenseless little cousin. "Don't worry, that's exactly why I called. The girls are sleeping here tonight. They're already on their way."

Sonomi could hear Nadeshiko sighing. "Thanks, Sonomi-chan."

"Don't worry. I'm glad I could help. By the way, I've got a friend of mine I'd like you to meet."

"A friend?"

"That's right. Do you remember Li Yelan?"

"Isn't she that Chinese woman you used to talk about?"

"That's right. She's staying here with us for a few days. Can you believe that she is the mother of Sakura-chan's and Tomoyo-chan's Chinese friend?"

"You mean the little boy? What was his name again?"

"Li Syaoran."

"Yes, that's the one. Sakura's told me about him, but I've never met him in person."

"Well, he's coming over here to meet his mother too. Isn't that a coincidence? I mean, it's been so many years since I met Yelan-san."

"It sure is. I'm glad that you got to meet again."

"I'll make sure you meet them too. Can you come over tomorrow night for dinner?"

"Sure, I'd love to."

"Ok, I'll introduce you all then."

"That'd be great."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow so we can set a time for the dinner. Bye."

"Bye."

Sonomi hung up the phone. She was feeling great. Ever since Yelan had called her the past day she had been feeling great.

She walked back to the living room where Yelan was waiting for her.

"Sorry to make you wait. I had to talk with my friend." Sonomi said, sitting down on the couch. "She's the mother of Tomoyo-chan's friend who's coming over here."

"Is that so? I found Sakura-chan to be such a nice girl. Her mother must be just like her." Yelan said.

Sonomi laughed warmheartedly. "She is, isn't she? I still can't believe that she, Tomoyo-chan and Syaoran became friends without us noticing."

"Like I always say: There is no such thing as coincidence." Yelan stated. "We were really bound to meet again."

* * *

"There he is!" Mei Ling said, spotting Syaoran in a corner down the street. "Syaoran!" She immediately put herself to run towards the boy. 

Sakura and Tomoyo watched Mei Ling jump over Syaoran, knocking him down on the floor. "I missed you so much!" She said, holding the boy tightly.

Sakura sweat-dropped "I'm not sure if this is supposed to be weird or not..." She said, watching Mei Ling hug her body.

Tomoyo giggled. "Mei Ling-chan is pretty happy to see Li-kun isn't she?."

"I guess..." Sakura answered.

"Get off me Mei Ling!" Syaoran said, pushing the girl away. "You don't have to attack me."

Mei Ling rolled over to the side, landing on her knees beside Syaoran, who sat down. "But it's been so long..." She said teary eyed.

Syaoran sighed. "Fine... I've missed you too, but we've got bigger things to worry about now."

Mei Ling's smiled fell. "You're so insensitive. I'm just trying to be nice."

"You're trying to hurt me, that's what!" Syaoran exclaimed.

"Li-kun, Mei Ling-chan, the limo is here!" Tomoyo called out. The car was in fact approaching Syaoran's building.

Syaoran and Mei Ling got up and walked back to the building's front gate where Tomoyo greeted the driver and signaled for everybody to get in. Sakura sat beside Tomoyo and Mei Ling sat beside Syaoran, cuddling up on him, much to Sakura's discomfort.

_Does she have to do that?_ She thought to herself, watching the girl hug her body like there was no tomorrow. Syaoran had apparently given up any hope of shrugging her off. _He 'is' her cousin, so there's no problem I guess, but... It's also 'me' so..._

Sakura had noticed that Syaoran really couldn't listen to any of her thoughts anymore, even when they were so clear to her; she became sure of that when he asked something that was completely unrelated to what she was thinking.

"Where's the fur-ball?" Mei Ling snickered, seeing Syaoran call Kero that.

"Hiding in Tomoyo-chan's purse." Sakura said, looking at the purse with the corner of her eye.

"I still find it hard to believe that thing is Kerberos." Mei Ling said, staring at the purse.

"Great. Another brat that can't show a bit of respect for magical guardians." Kero said, his voice muffled by the purse.

"Don't talk so loudly, the driver might hear you." Syaoran scolded in a whisper.

"You don't have to worry about me hearing anything Syaoran-sama." The driver said.

Syaoran jumped in surprise, feeling a slight deja vu from the kissaten, but he soon recognized the driver's voice. "Wei-san!"

Wei chuckled in amusement. "Your mother asked me to pick you up. She said you might feel uncomfortable having to pretend you're somebody else in front of the driver. Plus, you'll have to go along with the story we had to come up to explain Syaoran-sama's absence in the dinner."

Mei Ling slapped herself in the forehead. "Oh yeah! I forgot about that."

Sakura felt her heart race. She wasn't sure if she was able to pretend she was Syaoran. Especially in front of someone who knew her so well like Sonomi.

Syaoran was facing the same problem. Only now he realized how hard it would be for him to act as cheerfully and energetic as Sakura realistically.

He frowned at Mei Ling, looking for somewhere to relieve his tension. "How could you forget something so important?" He scolded.

Mei Ling made puppy teary eyes to him. "But... I..."

"Don't be so mad Li-kun." Tomoyo said. "All you have to do is act like each other for a couple of minutes before we go to our rooms."

Syaoran snickered sarcastically. "Well... what's the story then?"

Mei Ling and Tomoyo exchanged glances and giggles, Syaoran was sure that he wouldn't be pleased with whatever they had come up with.

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**A/N:** _I don't care what you say! I liked this chapter a lot!_

_Of course... It wouldn't hurt to say something anyway. Hehe... Thanks for the patience again! _

_See ya!_


	25. Sakura and Syaoran, Act IV, Part 4

Hello everybody!

**A/N**_: Sorry... don't think I'll be able to be as dedicated and responsible as I once was until this whole 'getting into college' thing is over. Well... the story still here. That's what matters right? Thanks for the reviews all you guys and thanks again for putting up this slacker. _

**dISCLAIMER: i, mAGAMA-dRAGOON, DO NOT OWN ccs! clam... WAIT A MINUTE... WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE... OH... Caps was on. P**

_Sakura means Sakura in Syaoran's... oh... never mind. If you still didn't get it then you never will._

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 9:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act IV_

**Part 4:** _Eriol's Burden_

"Hello everybody." It wasn't until the very last second that Syaoran realized how absolutely ridiculous was the idea that he could actually pretend to be Sakura. Just the mere thought of it would cause anybody to roll over laughing how did he expect to fool that women who was now hugging him like there was no tomorrow.

_Just keep smiling. She always hugs me like this._ Sakura kept telling him trough her thoughts. But the way his facial muscles moved around and twitched could hardly be mistaken for a smile. It was hard enough for him to breathe with all that pressure. Tomoyo's mother was definitely stronger than she appeared to be.

Finally, Sonomi let go of her deadly grip. Syaoran gasped for air. "Sakura-chan, are those really your clothes?" Sonomi asked, analyzing his clothes. They really were his, not Sakura's. Since the only feminine piece of clothe available at his apartment was a wet bunny suit, Tomoyo had borrowed Syaoran's clothes to dress what she thought to be Sakura in something dry. However, since Syaoran was in Sakura's body, the clothes made him look strange.

"You're cute in this tomboyish look, even though it doesn't really suit your personality." Sonomi said with a grin.

Syaoran realized he was probably the first boy ever to look tomboyish. Of course, that didn't stop him from blushing; he hadn't had any time to pay attention to a mirror and he hadn't realized how unnatural those clothes looked on a girl's body. Would Sakura really look cute wearing his clothes?

_Don't go there! You're just feeding the spell. _He told himself.

_Hoe? Don't go where? _Sakura's thoughts came in return.

Syaoran blushed even more. _N-nothing._ He was also probably the first person to stutter in his thoughts.

Even though they couldn't hear the couple's thoughts, Tomoyo and Mei Ling found the scene rather funny and had to hold back their laughter as they greeted everyone, not only for that, but for all the conversation that succeeded.

_Go on._ Syaoran told Sakura mentally, still stabilizing his breath. _Now you greet my mother properly._

_Alright._ Sakura bowed elegantly to Yelan. A little too elegantly, even a bit too feminine, much to Syaoran's despair. "Hello, Okaa-sama." Sakura said, sounding just like Syaoran.

Not only was it easier for an outgoing person to play an introverted one, but Sakura knew she didn't have to convince anyone of her fake identity since the only one who didn't know of the spell was Sonomi, and she'd never even met Syaoran. As a result, Sakura was ten times calmer than Syaoran. That kinda got to him in a competitive sort of way.

Yelan couldn't help but smile to herself. "Syaoran, how many times do I have to tell you to leave the formalities for when where among the elders?"

Sakura blushed, all her composure gone. She had to hold back not to say 'hoe' out loud. _Did I do something wrong?_ She thought.

Syaoran felt a bit of vengeful satisfaction. He knew his mother had done that on purpose. He'd have to thank her later. _Don't worry, this always happens._ Syaoran quickly added, making sure not to look at Sakura, not wanting to raise any suspicion. _Just say you're sorry._

Sakura bowed. "I'm sorry." She said, pulling herself back up too quickly.

"Don't worry." Yelan put her hand at Sakura's shoulder and pushed her gently so she would face Sonomi. "This is the friend I told you about. Tomoyo-chan's mother, Sonomi."

Sakura bowed to Sonomi too, her whole body stiff like a stone. Once one gets nervous it takes a while to return the body to its normal pace.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come to your dinner Daidouji-san." She said in an obviously pre-rehearsed way. The more she tried to sound like Syaoran the more she'd sound like there was something wrong with her voice now.

Sonomi shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm glad you came now. Are you sure you're feeling better?" She said, noticing Sakura's weird behavior. "You look a bit sick." Sakura and Syaoran blushed at that.

Back at the limo, Mei Ling had told Sakura and Syaoran that Sonomi thought Syaoran was not only sick, but with diarrhea. It was no surprise that Syaoran had had to hold himself back not to scream at the girl.

"Why would you say something like that?!" He'd said, blushing with anger and embarrassment.

Mei Ling had just looked away and said: "I was angry at you at the time. But it's too late to change the story now."

Eventually they settled for a lighter appproach to the story.

"I'm fine thanks." Sakura answered hastily, remembering her alibi. Her heart started racing. "It was just some nausea, probably something I ate, but I'm fine now. Really. Nothing to worry." She said, looking at an embarrassed Syaoran with the corner of her eye.

"Well..." Yelan started, loudly, purposely interrupting the conversation before Sakura showed too much hints of their secret. "Now that we've all introduced ourselves, I suggest we go to our rooms. You kids still have school tomorrow and it's already late. Wei-san, could you show Syaoran to the room he'll be sleeping in?" She said, hurrying to let Sakura relax again.

Wei nodded respectfully. "Of course Yelan-sama. If you'll excuse us, good night." He said getting a collective goodnight back.

Sakura turned to the group. "Good night." She said, getting the same response. She let out a thankful smile to Yelan and the woman smiled back as if saying: "Don't worry about it dear."

"This way, Syaoran-sama." Wei put a hand on Sakura's back and started conducting her down a hallway.

Sonomi turned to the girls and Syaoran. "You too, girls." She said. "You'll all be sleeping in Tomoyo-chan's room, at her own request. I guess the three of you already know your way there right?" She joked.

"Yes." Tomoyo and Mei Ling answered in unison, followed by an off-synch 'Yeah' by Syaoran.

"Good night then."

* * *

Mei Ling closed the door behind her and immediately broke out into laughter, followed by Tomoyo. 

Syaoran glared at them. It was such a deadly glare that they stopped laughing at the same second. "It wasn't funny! As a matter of fact it was terrible." He said, folding his arms.

"I'm sorry Syaoran, but hey, at least everything turned out okay. You just have to call Kinomoto-san here and we'll be free to follow her plan." Mei Ling said.

"Plan?" Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't she tell you?" Tomoyo asked. "She thinks she's found a way to get rid of the spell."

"Oh yeah!" Syaoran exclaimed, shocking himself with how he could have forgotten something so important amidst all that silly pretending he was being forced to do. "I completely forgot."

"Well, hurry up and call her here. You don't want to spend the night like that do you?" Mei Ling insisted, but there was no need. Syaoran was by far the one most anxious to hear Sakura's idea. He was even more anxious to get rid of the spell than to get his body back.

_Kinomoto-san! Are you there?_ He called out through his mind. When the answer came he smiled to himself, satisfied with how much control he had gained over their telepathy.

_What is it?_

_Come over here, I need you to tell me how to get rid of the spell, quick!_ He told her.

_Ok, just... wait a minute._

_Fine, but hurry._ He said mentally before returning his attention to Mei Ling and Tomoyo.

"She'll be here soon." He said.

"Alright, so we'll just have to wait." Mei Ling said, sitting down on her bed. The room had been set up with three beds, which was no problem, seeing how big it was. She let her body fall down and stared at the ceiling. "I hope Kinomoto-san's idea works, that's the only way you'll get your body back right?" She asked Syaoran.

Syaoran nodded. "But it's not that simple. Who knows what she's got in mind, and even if it works, the Change might not show up."

"Don't be so pessimist!" Mei Ling said, pouting.

Tomoyo smiled reassuringly to Syaoran. "I'm sure Sakura-chan knows what she's talking about. She was so happy when she found out about it."

"But that doesn't mean it will work." Syaoran said, sitting down on a bed too.

"We won't know until..." Tomoyo's eyes widened suddenly. "Kero-chan!" She opened her purse immediately. "Kero-chan, are you ok?" She asked the guardian, though it was obvious he was not.

Kero flew out of the purse, flying in unstable curves, mumbling something unintelligible. His eyes were spinning around the room.

"Poor thing." Mei Ling said, sweat dropping.

Kero finally fell in the bed Syaoran was sitting. He looked around him and slowly regained his full alertness. The first thing he did was point his paw at Tomoyo's purse menacingly. "That thing is evil!" He declared.

"What's the matter? Can't hold your breath?" Syaoran said teasingly. "Serves you right."

Kero stared at him. "If you weren't in Sakura's body I'd..."

Syaoran smirked. It felt good to do this routine with Kero. It helped him get his mind off the real problems. "You'd what? Fly against me? Make a smart comment on me? Cause that's about all you do."

"That does it! Now you're just trying to get me mad." Kero shouted, flying straight towards Syaoran. The boy instinctively reached out to grab Kero with his hands, but his reflexes weren't fully adjusted to Sakura's body yet, and before he could even get a grip on the guardian he felt his teeth burying themselves in his finger.

"Argh!" He waved his hand back and forth trough the air, trying to relieve the pain. _Of course. Even though I__'__m getting used to mundane tasks like walking, I__'__m still not fully adapted to Kinomoto-san__'__s body. I should have known._

"Syaoran!" Mei Ling jumped to his side. "Are you ok?"

"Ha! Take that brat!" Kero bragged.

Mei Ling stared at him. "You're even more stupid than I thought."

"Hey! Watch it!" Kero said, pointing at Mei Ling's face.

"Don't you... Uh?" Mei Ling turned to the side and noticed Tomoyo had a video camera in hands and was recording the whole ordeal. "What are you doing Daidouji-san?"

Tomoyo giggled. "This scene is worth gold." Her giggling was about to become a high pitched laughter when a click was heard on the door and Sakura came in, followed by Wei, already wearing pajamas.

Syaoran didn't know how she had gotten hold of one of his pajamas he'd left in Hong Kong, nor did he want to know if she had seen his body in nothing but underwear.

Sakura held a tray with two bowls of ramen. "Hungry?" She said, referring to Syaoran.

Syaoran's face lit up. He was already hungry when the puppet master put him to sleep three hours before. Now, he was starving. "Where did you get those?" He asked, not being able to hide his gladness in seeing some food.

Wei chuckled. "It was Kinomoto-san's idea. She said that neither of you had anything for dinner, so she asked me to fix these up."

Sakura walked up to the large study table in Tomoyo's room and served the ramen. "There you go." She said. She took a seat in front of a bowl of ramen and let the other one by her side. "This one's for you Li-kun."

"T-thanks." Syaoran answered awkwardly. He suddenly 'remembered' that her presence was still uncomfortable to him, despite her understanding of the whole spell situation, and their closeness to fixing it. Maybe that even made things worse.

"I'll leave you alone now." Wei announced, going for the door. "Kinomoto-san said you were going to try something with the spell didn't you? Good luck to you, and good night."

"Thanks." Sakura and Syaoran said in unison before Wei closed the door behind him.

Tomoyo took a seat on one of the beds, followed by Mei Ling. "Go ahead and eat... we can talk about the spell latter." Mei Ling said, seeing the way Syaoran stared at his ramen.

"Itadakimasu." The couple said before diving into their respective ramens with a gluttony that reminded Tomoyo of Kero's lust for dessert.

* * *

Yelan walked out to the backyard of the Daidouji residence, apparently alone. The silence there was deadly, making the place look a lot like the background for a horror movie, but it did nothing to repel her. 

"You can show yourself." She said, though there was no one there.

"If you insist." A voice answered. The same voice Syaoran had come to know as the puppet master. "I would appreciate a nice conversation."

Out of the shadows, a human started materializing itself. His whole body was covered in mist, thus concealing his identity. The only distinguishable feature was his short stature and his deep, low voice.

Yelan raised an eyebrow to him. "Why the stylish appearance?" She asked the man. "I've seen your face before."

"It's just a spell to make sure nobody else will see us. If anybody looks here, he or she won't see or hear a thing." The man answered.

"I see. Afraid your other isolation spells might fail?" Yelan teased.

"Not with normal people, but with Sakura..." He stated.

"Speaking of which, I'd like you to sort a few things out for me." Yelan said, changing her tone to a more serious one.

"Whatever you wish." The man said, faking an exaggerated politeness.

Yelan ignored his mocking. "I have my reasons to believe that Sakura already knows of the spell."

"You're right, she found out thanks to the Change's amazing powers." The man said.

Yelan couldn't help but frown. "It was your fault, I gather."

The man blinked, slightly surprised. "You could tell? I was only doing them a favor."

"Yes, but that's not my point. When Syaoran told me you decided to remove the spell, I thought that you would leave them alone. How can I be so sure that you will stop interfering in his trial and his life if you keep treating them as pawns in your plans?" She said, starting to loose her temper. "You say you have the best of intentions and that you're doing all of this for Sakura's safety, but apparently, you just want them to catch the cards as soon as possible so you can get what you want out of her." As Yelan said those words, the mist around the man started to vanquish, first around his feet, then his legs and slowly moving up. "This is the present. The center of this whole story is Sakura and Syaoran, not you! You have no right to make things easier or harder on them. They have to live all of this to the fullest. Learning with their mistakes and rejoicing with their successes. What will they gain from these experiences if you keep messing up everything that happens?"

The mist around the man's face cleared, revealing that his short stature was in fact a consequence of his age. Despite his adult voice, the mysterious man was nothing but a twelve year old boy with navy blue hair. However, his eyes showed great wisdom. Behind his glasses, they showed glimpses of his many secrets to whoever stared at them, causing a sensation of complete inferiority to those who were not secure of their own self.

Yelan found no problem staring into those eyes. The boy before her had willingly taken off his cover so he could look at Yelan face to face. Not to intimidate. His intention was to show Yelan how serious he was. "You couldn't be more right." He said. "But you must understand, that I do all of this out of fear."

Yelan sighed. "Fear of what? That Sakura might fail? You should fear that she'll never be able to help you latter if you don't leave her alone now. Or even worse, she might not want to."

The boy shook his head. "I have grown fond of Sakura and her friends. I really want this to be about them. If I were doing all of this for me alone, I could leave her be, but you know that's not the case. I have Clow's promise to fulfill and only Sakura can help me." He made a short pause, to think his words thoroughly. "I'm afraid, Yelan-san. Afraid that she might not be able to handle it, or that she might give up if things get too hard."

Yelan snorted, showing little compassion for the boy. "That's the price you pay for accepting this promise. Clow didn't call it his burden for just any reason. If Sakura gives up, even if she dies, that's her own life, not yours."

The boy stood silent, amazed by Yelan's speech. It had been quite a blow on him and he was now lost, questioning his methods and objectives. Yelan didn't say a word. She just let him consider what she had said.

Finally, he let out a hint of a smile appear on his face. "You know, I guess it was a good thing to talk with someone who doesn't have to carry my burden. I had been blinded to that perspective for a long time."

Yelan let her scowl dissolve, but kept a serious expression. "It's never too late to learn something new."

The boy chuckled, though with little excitement "You're right. I've been using those two as a way to release my burden. It's not really fair with them." The blue haired boy looked at the room Sakura and Syaoran were. "As soon as they break the spell, I'll leave, and only come back when all the cards are gathered."

"I'll take that as a promise." Yelan said.

The man smirked. "Alright. It's a promise, though in exchange, I'd like to give just one more push in Sakura-san's quest."

"I think you missed my point." Yelan said raising an eyebrow.

"Just listen." The man said, reclaiming his usual, calm, smiley self. "I think you'll like it."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** _Sorry! For being double-late. Sorry! For this chapter in which not much happens. _

_Thanks for all the support, despite my lack of efficiency in supporting you guys. As the tests for college grow nearer (read my ranting on chapter 24 or my profile.) I'm spending more time in the books every day and that's becoming not only time consuming, but stressful. I'm finding it harder to write. I know it's supposed to be something that takes you out of stress, but when you have a deadline, it becomes another thing to worry about too. That's why I'm writing in a slower pace. Thanks for the understanding._

_Bye!_


	26. Sakura and Syaoran, Act IV, Part 5

Hello and welcome to the season finale.

**A/N:** _You heard me right. It's becoming quite clear to me, and probably to you, that in my current condition (Studying lots and lots and lots.) I'm not managing to keep up the pace of my own story. Therefore, I have decided to take a short break. The idea of breaking my story into seasons occurred to me and it seemed like a good excuse to take a break. Plus, isn't 26 the usual number of chapters in anime series?_

_The good side of this is that I'll be able to relieve the stress of constantly thinking: "Man, I have to update!". The bad side is that there'll be no story for a while and, since this was a last minute decision, this chapter wasn't written as a season finale. If I'd written it with that concept in mind I would have surely made it much more special and stuff. It does close the story ark so it is very appropriate to end the "first season", but it's not season finale worthy material. I did make some changes to make it better, but its essence is that of "just another chapter" so it lacks that constant tension thingy a season finale is supposed to have._

_Anyway, bottom-line is: I'm taking some time off fan fiction. This way, when I return with the next season (hopefully, but not likely, still in 2007) I'll have my mind fresher with ideas and disposition. I even intend shift the focus of the story a bit. I can't tell you how cause that would spoil the story. But I already have a very solid idea of the things that will happen throughout season 2._

_Now that I've bored you enough with my lame excuses for my laziness, I'll start doing my routine._

**Disclaimer: "It's all real, man. You think it's just a joke, but it's real. The truth is out there, and I can show it to you. Just drink this magic tea and were off to a trip you'll never forget..." Uh... I was trying to make this random guy end up talking about me not owning CCS somehow, but it was just impossible... I mean... Look at him! He's all: "The corporations are behind it, man." I can't have some alienated, junkie hippie be my spokesman. I'll have to do it myself. I don't own CCS... Uh... Does anybody want to adopt a hippie? He doesn't bite.**

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 9:** _Sakura and Syaoran - Act IV_

**Part 5:** _I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship_.

"I'm home!" Touya called, taking off his shoes.

Nadeshiko appeared immediately, sighing in deep relief. Now she could finally sleep calmly, knowing Sakura's and Touya's whereabouts. "Where were you, Touya-kun? You just left all of a sudden."

Touya didn't feel like lying once again. His mother had suffered enough that day. However, there wasn't much he could do. He recalled that Eriol had once told him very specifically not to let Nadeshiko know about the cards. Even if his father were to find out he should still keep it a secret from his mother.

Just like most of the things he was used to hearing from the boy, that made no sense, but Eriol was very incisive when saying that if Nadeshiko ever found out it would put both hers and Sakura's life in danger.

Touya hated how everything seemed to conspire to fit the boy's will, and the way he expected other people to just accept that. He had grown to despise the spectacled boy more than he despised Syaoran.

Staring at Nadeshiko's inquisitive, but ingenuous eyes, he felt an urge to tell her he'd just met with a boy who was the reincarnation of Clow Reed. A magician whose crazy cards were putting Sakura's life in danger every day. But the words of the boy echoed in his mind. Touya knew that, despite that hateful conceited smile, Eriol was telling the truth.

He sighed. "I just felt like some fresh air." He said, walking past Nadeshiko.

The woman stared at the back of his son, and it was clearer than ever to her that the word 'lie' was stamped all around it. "What are you two hiding from me?" She whispered, not daring to let Touya hear it. Partially out of respect for him, and partially out of fear of the answer to the question.

* * *

"Ah... I really needed that." Sakura said, resting on the chair. The meal, though very simple, had proved much more needed than what she'd anticipated. She was starting to understand why boys ate so much. She was sure that she could still eat at least a couple more servings, something she'd never even dream of as a girl. Then again, Syaoran's body wasn't really that of a standard twelve year old. His rigorous training was probably what made him develop such voracious appetite.

Syaoran, on the other hand, felt satisfied. The food had been just the right amount for Sakura's stomach. He felt like resting now.

Tomoyo and Mei Ling had done nothing but watch the two eating. It was curious that while they ate, it was impossible to tell that their bodies were switched. They were both diving in their food with the same determination. That view pleased Mei Ling. She could look at Sakura and pretend it was Syaoran just for a few moments. Though she didn't like that the two seemed to be in such harmony even for eating.

"Alright." Kero said, landing in the middle of the table. Tomoyo and Mei Ling walked to the side of the table to follow the conversation. "Now that we're all done with eating, we can hear Sakura's idea and finally fix this whole mess, right?" He said turning expectantly to Sakura.

Sakura blushed. All the eyes in the room had turned to her. She had been holding back her discovery for quite a while now, so it was to be expected that everyone was dying to hear it. Syaoran's eyes had a particular glow of naive expectation that made him look a bit more like he was in the right body.

"Well..." Sakura started, staring at her empty bowl. She resembled a shy five year old answering a question for a reporter. "I think I know of something that the spell can't affect... Well... It's not that it can't affect... It's more like it wouldn't affect. But I don't know... I'm not so sure if it will..."

"Just say it!" Mei Ling interrupted, exhausted by the girl's intermittent speech. "We don't have much time before they force us into bed. Then you'll have to go to school like this!" She pointed out.

"Alright! Alright!" Sakura cried waving her hands, trying to calm Mei Ling. She took a few seconds to think of a way to explain her thoughts. "The puppet master said that he wasn't really using the spell anymore, right? Only what he had already changed remained. But even if that's the case, you can't be sure if what you're saying really comes from you because you don't know exactly what he changed. You couldn't know, after all, feelings are all intertwined and you can never be sure how much influence the spell is having on a particular feeling or thought even if it wasn't directly changed by him."

Kero was smiling as she said that. He couldn't help but doing so. _Sakura__'__s matured a lot since she started chasing the cards. To be able to comprehend the spell so well... I bet not even the brat could have put it so clearly what troubles him. It was a good thing that she learned to value her own abilities._

Mei Ling was acting unimpressed, but she couldn't help but recognize Sakura a bit. "Well... I guess you can put it that way." She said. "But if that's the case... then it's really impossible for Syaoran to beat the spell. I mean... what he needs is precisely what he can't get."

"A memory which he knows for sure that comes from himself." Sakura said, completing Mei Ling's trail of thought. "How can he get such a thing if he can't trust himself?" She was staring to get excited as the conclusion of her idea approached. "That's exactly the key. To find something in which you can trust yourself."

Syaoran was smiling softly when Sakura faced him to say that last sentence. He immediately covered up the smile that went by unnoticed by the others. The fact that he was in Sakura's body made Tomoyo unconsciously ignore it, so even she missed it. "And do you know what this something is?" He asked expectantly.

Sakura nodded. "I think so... But I've been thinking a bit more about it and for some reason I feel like I'm missing something." She said. "I feel like I'm on the right way, but I'm forgetting an important detail." She started to immerse in thought.

Tomoyo, who had been a spectator until now, recognized her cue. "Sakura-chan, let's try your idea." She said. "I'm sure that it will work." Sakura and the other two looked at Tomoyo as if asking 'How can you know?' Tomoyo merely smiled in a reassuring way only she could smile. "I know it will because I saw it in you face when you had this idea. You were already celebrating that you would help Li-kun get rid of the spell. You knew it back then." She paused to let Sakura take in what she'd just said. "It's normal to feel hesitant now, but it's not as if Li-kun will loose his chances of dispelling himself."

Sakura smiled back to Tomoyo feeling thankful. "Thanks, Tomoyo-chan."

Mei Ling was awed. It was the first time she'd seen Tomoyo do that. She knew that whatever that was, it was her 'thing'. If tennists played tennis and cooks cooked, Tomoyo did that.

Syaoran was also awed, but he'd seen Tomoyo doing her 'thing' before. He was starting to get used to having that unique girl around. "Let's hear it then."

Sakura nodded. "Ok. Here's what I thought... Hoe?" Sakura paused, suddenly looking confused. Her eyes widened with surprise.

"What is it Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked, leaning towards Sakura with concern. "Is something wrong?"

"Is it a Clow card?" Kero asked immediately searching for any auras nearby.

Mei Ling sighed. "Are you're sure you really thought of something?" She asked, but got no response. "Well, are you or... Hey, what's wrong with you?" Upon looking at Sakura, Mei Ling noticed her face was all red again, but much worse this time. She had her hands clenched tightly, resting on her lap, and her lips were trembling. Her eyes were concealed by her bangs, cause she was staring down at her hands. Overall, she looked like someone who's about to either confess a terrible secret or have a breakdown. Or both.

All of that looked really weird when pasted over Syaoran's face. _I guess it's never been clearer that this is not really Syaoran._ Mei Ling thought.

Kero, upon finding no auras, showed his concern too, flying to Sakura's shoulder. "What's happening? Are you feeling sick?"

Sakura shook her head rather violently. She exchanged glances with Syaoran who had been watching the scene with a mix of curiosity and concern. As soon as he looked at Sakura's eyes he understood what she was trying to tell him mentally. It made him blush immediately too. His reaction was in fact quite similar to Sakura's, causing Mei Ling to sweat drop and take back her personal remark. M_aybe it could have been Syaoran after all._

They all realized Sakura had told Syaoran what was happening trough telepathy, but that didn't help, since he was as shocked as she was, if not more. "What's going on Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura's lips mouthed something unintelligible, so Tomoyo had to lean closer. "I can't hear you." Sakura repeated the same words, but it was just as meaningless to Tomoyo.

"Come on Kinomoto-san, we don't have time to waste." Mei Ling said, standing up from her chair and leaning towards Sakura too. "Just say it loudly already!"

Sakura opened her mouth again. Tomoyo, Mei Ling and Kero leaned closer while Syaoran just sunk on his chair in what seemed to be embarrassment

"I... v... t... ee" Was all they could make out of Sakura's words.

"You don't have to be afraid to say it Sakura." Kero encouraged the girl. She repeated it again, this time Kero was close enough to her mouth to understand the whole phrase.

His face fell.

"Oh... Gee..." He said, not becoming as nervous as Sakura and Syaoran, but showing sympathy for them. "Hadn't thought of that."

"What did she say?" Tomoyo and Mei Ling asked the guardian anxiously.

Kero sighed. He watched Sakura shrink and Syaoran nearly hide under the table. "She said..." He paused, hesitant to say it, seeing how much it bothered Sakura. "She said she has to pee."

The room was dead silent for nearly five seconds.

Mei Ling was the first to try and break tension. Though she didn't do a very good job.

"Oohhh." The girl said, her frown becoming a face of pure pity for the girl. "I... That's..." She couldn't find any words to it. She looked over at Syaoran, and this time found it completely excusable that he was so embarrassed.

Tomoyo nearly lost her composure for a couple of seconds, but seeing how her friend needed help, she managed to stay calm. _For Sakura-chan._ She told herself.

Mei Ling witnessed for the second time Tomoyo's 'thing'. Once again she was awed. Not only was she able to do that thing, but she could keep her calm in even the most embarrassing situation. _If she wasn__'__t so good at being nice, she__'__d be scary._ Mei Ling thought.

Tomoyo put a hand on Sakura's shoulder again, causing the girl to look up. "It's alright Sakura-chan." She said, putting on her best comforting smile. "You just have to close your eyes and do it as if you were still a girl, right Li-kun?"

Syaoran jumped at the mention of his name. "S-sure." He said, trying to force a smile, but getting nowhere near it. _No! It__'__s not that simple!_

"Would that even work?" Mei Ling questioned. "I mean, if you sat down, wouldn't your..."

"It works!" Syaoran shouted with excessive loudness, interrupting any idea that Mei Ling might suggest. "Just go!" He said to Sakura, folding his arms. He walked to a window and stared at the backyard, trying to distract himself. _Would it work? _Was the thought he was fighting to get out of his mind.

Sakura looked at Tomoyo, begging for any other solution, but Tomoyo just nodded at her and smiled. Mei Ling and Kero had chosen to leave that matter for Tomoyo and Sakura, they were just pretending to look elsewhere, though they couldn't help but sneak a peek at Sakura occasionally.

"Fine... I'll go." Sakura said, standing up slowly. She felt like a circus attraction now. Not that she blamed the others for acting weird, but it was uncomfortable nevertheless. She also realized how important it was that Tomoyo didn't act like the other three.

"Go ahead and use my bathroom." Tomoyo said, leading Sakura to a door. "Take your time."

Sakura opened the door. Behind it was a bathroom she had used many times in the past, but never in a situation like that one. Taking one last peek at the room behind her, she wondered what Syaoran was thinking. She couldn't see it clearly anymore, and she didn't really feel up to talking to him. It felt like breaking some sort of taboo. She was sure Syaoran felt the same way. She swallowed a big lump of saliva before entering and closing the door behind her.

"You'll think she'll be ok?" Mei Ling asked, watching the closed door with some concern.

Tomoyo nodded. "I'm sure of it."

"Just hope she doesn't get any traumas from this." Kero joked.

"That's not funny!" Syaoran said, turning back to the room. "It's not funny at all!" He repeated.

Kero chuckled. "You say that know, but in a few years this will be one of your funniest memories. Admit it." Kero said. "I do feel sorry for Sakura though, but eventually she'll look back and laugh too."

"Why you..." Syaoran started stomping towards Kero.

"Bring it on!" Kero exclaimed. His confidence and his flight were broken, however, by a punch in the back of the head by Mei Ling.

"You're as sensitive as a rock!" She said as the guardian struggled to regain his balance on the floor.

Syaoran smirked; it was good to see that someone agreed with him when it came to Kero. "Serves you right." He said.

Tomoyo obviously found that scene amusing, but refrained from taking her camera again. Instead, she leaned against the bathroom door and called out for Sakura. "Sakura-chan, are you ok?" She asked.

Sakura didn't answer.

"Just give her time." Mei Ling scolded. "I know we have the card and the spell to worry about but... I can't possibly tell her to hurry up in this condition." She said, trying to sound firm in her opinion.

Tomoyo stared at Mei Ling with surprise. After seeing trough her mask she let out a big smile. "You were mad at Sakura-chan at first, but now you're already worrying about her. You really are a nice person, Mei Ling-chan."

Mei Ling completely lost her composure. _She's sharp!_ She thought, feeling her face blush. "That's... I... It was just a misunderstanding at first... hehe..."

Tomoyo giggled, holding herself back not to go further into Mei Ling's feelings.

Syaoran had paid little attention to the conversation. He was now for the first time feeling that his torment was getting close to an end. As he stared out the window, a rush of optimism grew inside him. It felt like the real thing was going to begin that day. That was when he would start to chase the cards as himself, no spells.

His trail of thought was disrupted when he heard a voice coming from outside.

"You... more right." He heard. The sound was faint and he couldn't make out every word. "...out of fear."

_There's someone out there._ He thought. He looked around, but couldn't see a thing. _This voice..._ He opened the window to try and hear the voice better.

"I have Clow's promise to fulfill and only Sakura can help me." Came the voice again.

That's when he was sure he knew that person who was speaking somewhere in the backyard. "It can't be!" He exclaimed, surprising Mei Ling and Tomoyo. Kero was still dazed and confused on the floor.

"What's wrong Syaoran?" Mei Ling asked, but Syaoran ignored her. He had his head stuck out of the window and was looking around the place wildly.

"Just listen. I think you'll like it." He heard the puppet master voice say to whoever he was talking to.

In the distance, he could make out two silhouettes. His heart jumped. One of them had to be the puppet master. "I'm not gonna let you escape!" He mumbled. Taking a step back, he assumed a jumping stance, feeling the adrenaline take over.

"Wait! Li-kun..." Tomoyo tried to stop him, but it was too late.

Syaoran jumped out. Tomoyo and Mei Ling ran to the window to watch him.

They were in the second floor, which was pretty high in a mansion like Tomoyo's, but that wasn't anything Syaoran couldn't usually handle. He was well trained in this sort of feat.

Being that way, Syaoran didn't expect any challenge from jumping down that window. No wonder that he was surprised when, in midair, the harsh reality of the situation became obvious to him. _I can't do this in her body._ He quickly concluded.

Indeed, what would have been an ordinary jump to him was an impossible task in a body that was giving him a hard time to even walk straight, just a few hours before.

He landed with his feet first, but couldn't distribute his weight evenly between them. An excruciating feeling took hold of his left leg, he heard a loud cracking sound and that was all he could remember before his head hit the ground and all turned black.

* * *

Touya couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Hospital?!" He screamed at the woman on the phone. It wasn't her fault, but he had to let it out. _Why did I let him do it his own way?!_ He cursed himself. _'__He__'__ll protect Sakura.__'__ He said. __'__I won__'__t let anything happen.__'_

Nadeshiko, who had been by his side, nearly fainted at the mention of the word hospital. The episode at the school nursery had been enough to shake her spirit. But this was just too much. She had to find out what was happening with her children.

It took the Kinomoto family less than ten minutes to get to the local hospital. There they met the whole Daidouji and Li families at the waiting room.

Sonomi, who seemed as shook up as Nadeshiko as the first to give the mother a comforting smile. "She's alright. The doctor said it's just a fractured leg and some bruises." She said, laughing at Nadeshiko and herself as if saying. 'The things us mothers have to take...'

Nadeshiko sat down with relief, followed by Fujitaka who sat by her side, looking very relieved too. If it wasn't Sakura, they would have felt silly for worrying too much over a broken leg, but being their little daughter, they felt that their tension had been very well measured.

Touya didn't even realize that the group composed of a boy, a girl, a women and a man was with the Daidoujis until he noticed that the was Syaoran. _Sakura, actually._ He corrected himself. _Ugh. I don__'__t think I can bear to watch this. _He turned his gaze away from Sakura, but that didn't help. Soon the Lis were introducing themselves to the Kinomotos.

"It's sad that we have to meet under these circumstances." Yelan said. "I heard so much stories about you, I had hoped out meeting would be joyful."

Nadeshiko couldn't help but smile at the elegant lady. "You must be Yelan-san. I feel the same way." Nadeshiko said. "But at least the tension has passed now. Sakura-chan is going to be alright."

Yelan smiled back at her. "Yes." They looked at each other in silence for a moment. Nadeshiko felt Yelan's eyes pierce her. Those eyes were gentle, but invasive nonetheless. "I'm hoping to become great friends with you like our children."

Nadeshiko let out her brightest grin. "Yes, I'm sure that any friends of Sonomi-chan will be a great friend of mine."

"Oh... and speaking of our children." Yelan turned to her family. "Let me introduce you."

And so the Kinomotos were formally introduced to the Lis, with the exception of Syaoran. Sakura had to do his part.

"Sakura tells me a lot about you. It's a pleasure." Nadeshiko said to Sakura, bowing.

Sakura realized that she was going through her most awkward moment after the Change. She had to admit that she was kind of disappointed that her mother didn't say something like: 'You're Sakura, I know, somehow.' She wasn't making it any hard for Nadeshiko to notice, being all shy and bowing in a clumsy way. Then again, Syaoran would often act like that too.

Touya and her father weren't any easier. Fujitaka had acted in a very weird manner. It felt to Sakura as if he knew that it was her, and more than that, as if he thought everybody knew also. _But that__'__s impossible._ Sakura told herself.

Sakura expected Touya to try and blame Syaoran somehow for the incident, which would be actually quite accurate, but he didn't even stare at her like he usually did with Syaoran.

After the introductions Sakura went to sit by herself. Mei Ling tried to go and talk to her but Tomoyo stopped her. "I get the feeling she doesn't want to draw much attention in front of her family. They're more likely to recognize her after all." She said. Mei Ling couldn't help but agree.

"Still, I feel kind of bad for her. I mean, Syaoran was in her body for just a few hours and he already managed to break her leg." Mei Ling commented. "I feel like I should apologize in advance for Syaoran, cause I know how stupid he can be."

Tomoyo giggled. "I'm sure Sakura doesn't resent him."

Sakura felt kind of uncomfortable cause she could easily overhear the girls talking about her. Though she appreciated Tomoyo noticing that she didn't want to draw her family's attention, she wish she could tell Mei Ling that she wasn't angry at Syaoran or anything like that. She was just sorry that it happened when they were so close to maybe getting him rid of the spell.

Mei Ling sighed. "Well, it doesn't matter if she resents him or not." She said. "You're the one who told me that she looked up to him. She'll be at least a little bit disappointed... I mean... You have to fight to trust someone after an irresponsible slip like that one."

_Trust. _Sakura suddenly remembered what she'd been thinking about since she had her idea to help Syaoran. _I still trust Li-kun. I know he had a good reason to do that._ And then, it came to her as clear as water. _That__'__s it! I need to tell Li-kun!_

* * *

Syaoran didn't remember much after hitting his head. He wasn't sure if he had regained consciousness ever since then. All he knew is that he wasn't conscious right now. 

It was all white again. No matter which side he looked at, the white fog took hold of his perception.

_Is this that place again?_ He asked himself, even though he knew the answer already.

"Li-kun!" He could hear Sakura's voice calling out to him from somewhere beyond the fog. That was strange not only because he was getting used to hearing Sakura's voice come out of his mouth, but it was the first time he'd heard any voice other than his or the puppet master's in the fog.

Syaoran looked to the place the voice was coming from, and somehow he could see Sakura through the dense fog that surrounded him. There she was, floating above, looking confused.

"Kinomoto-san! What happened? How did you get here?" He asked. He knew now that the place they were in was inside his mind. It was some sort of dream according to the puppet master, but Sakura was supposed to be awake.

"I just tried to talk to you, you know, trough our minds. Suddenly I got here." She answered, awed with the grandiosity of the nothingness around her. "Is this place in your mind? Is this your dream?"

"Sort of..." Syaoran said. He noticed that Sakura and him were in their original bodies and felt pleased by that, even though he knew that they would go back once he woke up.

"Then I guess I can see this place because of our link." Sakura suggested.

"Yeah. Just like at the Kissaten." Syaoran agreed. It made perfect sense. "But what about the real world? What's going on there?"

"I was sitting on a waiting room, so I'm probably sleeping there now."

"A waiting room?" Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

"We had to take you... me... my body to a hospital. When you jumped out of that window, my leg kinda... broke." She said with hesitation, knowing that Syaoran would feel guilty. "But don't worry!" She quickly added. "I know you had a good reason to jump out of that window, right?"

Syaoran felt absolutely embarrassed and irresponsible. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to... I thought it was an easy jump!" He blurted out.

Sakura waved her hands hastily to off the subject. "It's ok! Really! We'll worry about that latter. Right now, I have to tell you about my idea."

"What idea?"

Sakura giggled. "To break the spell, what else?"

Syaoran's heart raced. "Now? You think it'll work like this?"

Sakura nodded confidently. "When you hear it, you'll agree with me. It's something that we can really trust each other about, the Change will have no choice but to take this curse off of us, and the spell will vanish too!" She declared, making a victory sign with her fingers. "Are you ready?"

Syaoran hesitated a bit. He wasn't sure if Sakura could really have the solution. _She might be eluding herself._ He thought. "So... What's your idea?"

Sakura lost her confident pose, but not her confidence. She just changed the fighting stance to a gentle one. Syaoran could feel her smile dig his soul. The intensity of her gaze was increased by the fact that she was floating above him and consequently looking down to him.

"Think about it." Sakura said, somehow moving closer to Syaoran. "The puppet master messed up all of your thoughts, so you can't trust yourself or the memories you have from after the spell, right?" She said, repeating what she'd said before. "But there is one thing that you can be sure he hasn't touched. Something he could maybe have changed in you, but I know for sure he didn't."

Syaoran blinked in confusion. "How can you know it?"

Sakura smiled. For once she felt like she knew something Syaoran didn't. "Li-kun, your desire to get rid of the spell." She said, Syaoran felt his heart jump again as he struggled to understand what she meant. "The reasons you want to get rid of this spell, they're the exact opposite of everything the spell does."

"I..." Syaoran wasn't feeling so confident about her idea. Maybe she was eluded after all.

Sakura decided to explain further. "Can't you see? The nature of this spell, it's a spell that binds. It's like a cage around you that allows this man to tell you what he wants you to do. And the one thing he can't tell you is to give up and accept the cage. No matter how much he manipulated you, you've always been trying to break the bars in the cage."

This time something clicked inside Syaoran's head. He saw it clearly now. The trust in himself that he had been looking for all this time was exactly in his desire to believe in his own thoughts. That was the only thing he knew for sure that came from only his own will.

"To get rid of the spell..." Syaoran could feel Sakura's confidence turning into his hope. "That's something I know the spell couldn't have caused. I really want to be able to be me again!" He declared, almost shouting it out loud.

Sakura giggled. "But there's one more thing." She said.

Syaoran looked at her as if saying 'I'm ready for anything.'

"What that man said was that you needed was a memory related to me. Even if you know what you want, your memories about me will still be confusing." Sakura explained, repeating what she recalled hearing in Syaoran's memories. "So, you need one more thing besides trusting yourself."

"What else do I need then?"

Sakura held out her hand. "You need to trust me."

"What?" Syaoran regretted saying 'what' like that, but he was frightened with how Sakura seemed closer to him now. Physically and psychologically.

Sakura didn't move her hand. "Just believe me when I say that I want from the bottom of my heart to see you free."

Syaoran started to reach for Sakura's hand, but stopped midway looking hesitant. "But... This way I'm back where I'm started. What if I believe you because of the spell?"

Sakura frowned. "It's a leap of faith." She said. "If you are going to wait until you're one hundred percent sure of something before you do it then you'll never accomplish anything."

"I..." Syaoran felt intimidated by Sakura in a way he'd never considered possible.

"I'm doing this because to me you're a friend." Sakura said, trying to help Syaoran. "I know I've seen the real you, not only in my dream, but everyday since we met."

Syaoran pulled his hand back an inch. Sakura's words weren't getting through him.

Sakura got closer to him and grabbed his hand. "I'm not letting you with this spell anymore." She pulled him and their bodies collided.

Syaoran became stiff. She was hugging him now. "K-Kinomoto-san."

"I once dreamed that you were fighting to protect me." Sakura said. "I can't live up to that dream if I don't do the same for you."

Syaoran was still stiff. "I..."

Sakura thought for a second and then pulled back a bit so she could face Syaoran. "Kiss me!" She said with a determined face.

That didn't help Syaoran get any less embarrassed. "W-what?!" He didn't know what was happening anymore.

Sakura didn't look like she was joking. "I've been saving my first kiss for Yukito-san. I know you understand how I feel about him cause you saw it in my mind." She said. "But I'm willing to give up this dream to help you. That's how much you mean to me."

"And how is kissing me going to help me?" Syaoran asked.

"Because this way you have proof that I'll do anything to save you, even give you something I've been saving ever since I first saw Yukito-san. It's the most precious thing I have with me right now."

Sakura closed her eyes and started leaning forward.

Syaoran was paralyzed. He had no idea if he should break free or not and he had just a few seconds. _Why is she doing this? _That's when he noticed a little drop leak out of Sakura's shut eyes. _She__'__s crying? Is she crying because of me? _He asked himself. _No. She__'__s crying for Yukito._ His own mind answered. Syaoran was moved.

Without hesitation he raised his hands and held Sakura back. She opened her eyes and looked at him inquisitively. "I can't allow you to waste your first kiss on me." He said, showing the guilt he was feeling for hurting her again, this time through her feelings.

Sakura smiled. "It wouldn't be a waste if it helped you."

Syaoran swallowed all the saliva in his mouth before showing Sakura a smile too. "You helped me already."

"So, you..." Sakura didn't need to ask, Syaoran knew what she meant.

The boy nodded, much to her rejoice.

"That's it! That's your memory. The hard time we spent this past day, or month in your case, to get rid of the spell. If you ever feel like you've lost your grasp on reality, remember that we fought together against this spell because we really wanted to, and that we really believed in each other." She said, reaching out for him with her hand again. "Not because some dumb spell told you to, but because you wanted it."

Syaoran reached out for her and their hands touched. It didn't feel romantic, and it wasn't even too touching, but Syaoran knew that he had expressed the words 'we're friends' in a clearer way than he could have ever done, even with their telepathy. On that moment, he defined the Sakura which he would get to know better in the future. He might love her, hate her, or just be indifferent to her, but regardless of what the future had in store for him, he now had his own point of view of Kinomoto Sakura now: An amazing girl who wanted to see him free of the spell as much as he did.

Syaoran smiled to himself, and then to Sakura. "Thanks." He held her hand tighter.

* * *

Syaoran opened his eyes. He felt weird. His body was heavy and his head hurt. He was still grasping something in his hand, but it wasn't Sakura's hand anymore. 

"What's this?" He looked at the object in his hands. "What the..."

It was a card. "A Clow card..." The card had a sun symbol on the back. Syaoran turned it around and his eyes widened. The words 'The Change' were written under the drawing of a weird chameleon. "It worked!"

It was only then that he realized he was back in his own body. "I'm back!" He exclaimed, earning the attention of the people who were walking by him, but not caring much. He then noticed that he was indeed inside a hospital's waiting room, like Sakura had said. "Kinomoto-san!"

He shoved the card in his pocket and, seeing no familiar faces, ran to a nurse nearby.

"Kinomoto? Oh! The girl with the broken leg?" Syaoran blushed at the mention of that, een though the nurse had no idea it was his fault. "She's ok already, though she hasn't woken up yet, I think. Your family is already there with her, they did ask us to send you there when you woke up." She said. "Follow me."

Syaoran followed the woman up a set of stairs and through a long corridor. "Is this it?" He asked when she stopped in front of a door.

"Yes, I'll leave you here. You can go ahead and enter." The woman said before leaving.

"Thank you." Syaoran bowed respectfully to the nurse before entering the room.

The room was pretty much what you'd expect from a hospital. A bed, all sorts of medical equipment a television and a nurse calling button.

Everybody was there, even Touya, who wasn't holding back on his glares anymore. Syaoran suspected Kero was hiding somewhere.

He noticed a woman beside Sakura and a man with his arms around the woman. He figured they were her parents. _Her mother__'__s pretty._ He thought as the woman looked at him.

"You're finally awake." The woman said. Syaoran realized that she had probably already met him as Sakura so there was no need for introductions. "Sakura just woke up too." Nadeshiko smiled to the girl on the bed.

Sakura was hearing instructions from a young man, a doctor, on how to take care of the new cast around her left leg. She noticed Syaoran when her mother talked to him.

Syaoran couldn't help but smile at her when their eyes met. He had wondered earlier that night how it would feel when they met without the spell. He had thought he might be confused like the puppet master had said, or maybe she would seem like a stranger, she might even seem the same as before. Now he knew all of those where wrong. She was definitely no stranger. He knew who she was after all. He remembered everything she had done that past month very clearly. He even remembered how he had felt. But right know she was the girl who had helped him get out of the spell. The kind girl who held out a hand to him when he needed. As he walked to Sakura's side, casually greeting everyone else, he could only find one proper thing to say.

"I'm sorry for your leg."

Sakura smiled at the boy. She could now feel his real aura clearly like she had never felt before. Well, she had felt it like that once. Her mind went back to her dream more vividly that ever. There was no doubt that he was free of the spell.

She answered him with an answer that was just as confusing to everybody else as Syaoran's apologies.

"You already compensated for it, just by being you."

Syaoran blushed a bit. It felt great to blush though. He was secure of his shyness now.

From that point on, he might love her, hate her, or just be indifferent to her, but regardless of what the future had in store for them, they were off to a good start.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** _And so, a season ends!_

_Thank you all! Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I'm glad you guys are still with me even after so many chapters and so much laziness from me. I hope to write much more and improve with every chapter. _

_Now, I've closed the spell ark and I already have plans for the next one. It'll be very different from this one so be prepared._

_I don't know if you liked this chapter, but after a few changes I thought it became much more finale-worthy (I made the changes after writing that introduction.) I hope it makes up for my long absence to come. I'm really sorry for those who like the story. I swear I'll do my best to return soon with great material and I swear I love you all for being so nice with me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart._

_And if you feel up to it, I'd appreciate your ("Cough" Review "Cough") opinion on the first season..._

_And your money._

_No! Scratch that! Just your opinion. I mean... I'd appreciate your money of course. Money is always welcome, but I couldn't possibly ask you to give me money for this fanfic. I mean, what kind of a sick bastard would actually charge people for something he wrote... except for book writers... they're ok... and the guys in the newspaper... Anyway, I'd be happy if you gave me money, but don't. Or else I'll probably get banned from the site. But thanks for the intention, that's what counts they say. I mean, if there was any intention at all. Not that there should be but... Ok, I'll shut up now._


	27. Sakura in the Dream, Part 1

Hey!

**A/N:**_ What can I say... I'm back. It's real. We've got a whole new season ahead of us so I won't hold you back. This new chapter should be pretty fun to read. It was fun to write at least. So, to those of you who haven't abandoned me. Go ahead... and read the disclaimer._

**Disclaimer: I've told you again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again (That's one again for every chapter). If you still don't get it, then use your imagination and picture my lips so you can read them. I - do not - own - C - C – S! Period!**

**The Plot Thickens:** _Let's just go over the big stuff of the first season. You remember the spell right? The one Eriol put on Syaoran so he'd have a desire to protect her and made him think he had a crush on her. Good. They got rid of it, remember? The Change and all that? Good. The first season was mainly about that. Other important stuff that I might include is the fact that Eriol told Touya that his reason for being there is to fix a mistake Clow made in the past. That's pretty important too. Yelan and Mei Ling are in Japan now, but living with Tomoyo. Syaoran broke Sakura's leg while in her body. Sakura is the rightful mistress of the cards but Syaoran has hopes that she'll give the cards to him. Oh, and Sakura is still committed to tutor Syaoran in Japanese lessons... Just throwing random stuff in case you haven't noticed. I figured you'd start to remember the puzzle as a whole if I showed you a lot of pieces._

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 10:** _Sakura in the Dream_

**Part 1:** _Spell Free and Afterthoughs _

The xxxx elementary had always been popular for the great care it took of its kids. They didn't teach anything that the others schools didn't teach already, nor did they produce great geniuses. They were just a small town school where, in what some could call a coincidence, all of the staff and all of the students were a bit nicer to each other than at your average school.

Mizuki Kaho had loved that place from her first day there, when she had volunteered for the math teacher job. It was the first time in years she had managed to forget about the problems in life and just worry about the present. Who would have guessed that a place with such welcoming people still existed in that cold, modern world?

As the boys and girls played in the courtyard, she just watched them. Recess would be over soon and the fifth grade would all enthusiastically enter the building to watch her class. The children's reception was probably what had touched her the most about that place.

"Mizuki-sensei, come play with us." One of the little girls asked her while tugging her skirt.

Kaho smiled to the girl. She noticed that a lot of the kids were looking at her from the courtyard, expecting her answer. "Sure, what do you want to play?"

"It." The little girl said.

Kaho raised an eyebrow, acting suspicious in a playful sort of way. "What's 'it'?" She asked.

The girl gave a gentle slap in her leg. "You're it!" She said before running away, giving chase.

Kaho laughed at the girl's little joke. The girl was also laughing cheerfully as she ran away. Soon all the kids joined in the game. _If only it was possible to leave everything behind and be Mizuki-sensei forever._ Was what she'd think nearly every day she spent in xxxx elementary. However, the harsh truth would often come banging at her head. _No, I have a mission here. _

After another day as a teacher was over she watched the students leave the classroom with a mix of joy and sorrow.

"Mizuki-sensei!" A little girl had stayed behind and now in stood in front of Kaho's desk, the same girl who'd invited her to play with them during recess. She wore an excited expression.

"Have you been training like I taught you to?" Kaho asked the little girl in front of her.

The girl proudly nodded.

Kaho looked around to make sure no one was nearby anymore. She leaned closer to the girl. "Then show it." She whispered with a sly smile on.

The girl seemed confused. "Right here? But you said..."

"Just this time it's okay." The teacher replied with a wink."

The girl seemed even more excited now. "Alright! Look, Mizuki-sensei." She took a piece of paper from her pocket with some kanji n it. "Water!" She shouted while holding the paper up high. The kanji started squirting water as if it were a fountain.

"Very good. To think that you'd get so far without a staff or the cards. You're really amazing." The teacher praised the girl.

"And when do I get a staff?" The girl anxiously asked. "It's been almost a year already. I can do a lot of stuff."

Kaho giggled at the girl's energy. "I've told you. The staff is with the pretty lion in the book, but we can't take it until you're really good."

"How good?"

Kaho had to hold back a sad expression at that question, she had told that lie to the girl too many times. "Good enough to break the seal." She told her once again.

_Good enough to help us without putting your life in danger._

* * *

Saturday, July 14th, The Daidouji Mansion.

The Kinomotos, the Daidoujis and the Lis were all gathered around a large dinning table. There were too many people present and consequently too many conversations happening at the same time. Through these conversations, the three families got to finally know each other better and, by the time dessert was served, they were all feeling like old friends already.

"This is delicious." Sakura exclaimed as she tasted the cake that was served for dessert.

Sonomi smiled at her. "I'm glad you liked it Sakura-chan. I learned that recipe from a friend a long time ago."

"I'm glad you still have that recipe." Yelan said to Sonomi. "I remember that when I last came here I couldn't go a day without a piece of this cake."

While everyone talked about everyday subjects such as cake, Mei Ling, who was strategically seating between Sakura and Syaoran, was doing her best to catch up all the time she'd lost.

"Really? You're on the soccer team?" The girl asked with admiration. "I didn't know you could play soccer."

Syaoran had been answering all of Mei Ling's questions, doing his best not to let the girl notice that he wasn't really feeling like telling her everything that had happened in the past month at the moment.

He had just gone through his first day in Japan without the spell and things hadn't really settled down in his mind regarding Sakura. She had been the focus of most of his life for quite a while and, even if the spell was gone now, he couldn't just pretend that his feelings were crystal clear for him.

After leaving the hospital the last night, he'd gone back to his apartment with Wei. Nothing troubled him then. He was free and he could think whatever he wanted of Sakura now. It wasn't until next morning that he started feeling nervous. All that freedom, he realized, meant a lot of responsibility too.

He woke up with a phone call from his mother saying that he should come to the Daidouji mansion at night for dinner with the Daidoujis and the Kinomotos. He had no objections. However, during the day, he started wondering what his meeting with Sakura would be like. Would it be awkward? Would he be nervous? Would he still feel some of the things he'd felt around her in the past month? After all, even if the spell wasn't there anymore, he remembered the way he'd felt back then very well. He couldn't know for sure that those feelings were not inside him anymore.

As time went by and dinner got closer, Syaoran became more insecure. He was beginning to understand why people could go mad after suffering the spell. It was too confusing to remember a feeling that he wasn't supposed to have anymore. The puppet master was right about that. He was also right on his condition to remove the spell.

Sakura had helped him get rid of the spell. The touch of her hand and her confidence. Those were the things that he should remember about her now. Right then, when their hands touched, he had felt secure and sure of his feelings. It was the first time he'd felt like that since he'd found out about the spell, and it was still the only thing keeping him from loosing his mind.

It was no surprise to him that when he met Sakura at the dinner he couldn't say a word to her. It was as if they hadn't seen each other in years. Syaoran felt that he didn't have the right to be informal around Sakura like he was used to being, which wasn't much already. He didn't really know what to do.

Fortunately for him, Sakura was still the same girl that had smiled at him at the hospital the last night. Still confident and cheerful. She seemed to understand perfectly what Syaoran was going through, and in fact she did. The Change had allowed her to understand Syaoran's conflict better than anybody else, maybe even better than Syaoran himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Tsukimine Shrine.

Eriol contemplated the enormous cherry tree that stood in the midle of the shrine.

"Aren't you glad we're finally out of their way now?" A woman asked while sweeping the floor inside the temple nearby.

Eriol nodded. "They're free to do as they please, and we're free from the responsibility."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like you."

Eriol chuckled. "Well, it's not often that I do such unpleasant things like that spell. It's only natural that the guilt would get to me."

"Clow was like you. He couldn't just let things happen the way they should. That's why you're here today. If he had just let go back then..."

"So this is where it all started?" Eriol interrupted. "This is the place where Clow made his great mistake?"

"You've been here before, it's no surprise." The woman answered, walking out of the temple.

"Clow has been here before. It's my first time actually entering entering the place." Eriol stated. "I'm not surprised that Clow chose to use this tree."

"It's really powerful." The woman said. "That's why so many cards were drawn to it."

"Fortunately we've been able to keep them away. If Sakura-san comes here before she is ready, who knows what would happen?" The boy said, touching the tree with the palm of his hand.

The woman seemed offended. "I had no way of knowing that would happen back then. I was just following instructions." The woman protested. "Your instructions."

"I wasn't even born, and you should have waited for me." Eriol said in a very calm manner, not losing his cool.

The woman seemed to be deeply affected by the subject. She looked down. "I had no way of knowing if I could wait. As far as I knew you could only have been born in one hundred years from now."

"That's still no reason to risk a little girl's life." Eriol replied, still very calm. "I know this is hard for you, but we can't afford to let the same thing happen to Sakura-san. I know you wouldn't want this."

"I got so excited back then. This time I won't make the same mistakes." The face of the woman changed it's expression, first to determined, then to happy.

"I gather you made a decision." Eriol asked her as she walked away from the shrine.

"There's a job for a math teacher at Tomoeda Elementary. I've decided to try for it."

* * *

"Syaoran! Are you even listening?" Mei Ling said, waving her hand in front of Syaoran's eyes.

The boy jumped in his chair, knowing that Mei Ling would kill him if she knew he was thinking about Sakura. "Sorry, I got distracted." He said quickly. "What did you say?"

"Oh, forget it. You'll just doze off again sooner or later." Mei Ling said with a sigh. "Honestly, even though you're back in your own body you still spend half of the time with those absent eyes."

Sakura giggled at that comment. "Actually, he'd spend most of the time like that even before The Change."

"Do you really have so much to think about?" Mei Ling questioned him annoyed.

Syaoran blushed, it was true he'd often doze off in front of Sakura, but most of the times it was because of the spell. _Maybe I'm still worrying too much. The spell is gone now so it's no use thinking about it anymore. _Thinking that the conversation would soon reach the subject he wanted to avoid, he decided to avoid the conversation altogether.

"Not really." He answered while trying to look as if he didn't care. "And don't talk so loudly about these things like the cards, there are people here who don't know."

Mei Ling shrugged her shoulders. "Nobody is paying any attention." She pointed out, gesturing towards their families who were indeed chatting while not paying any attention to the children's conversation.

Syaoran sighed. _That's not an excuse. _He thought. "Mei Ling, even so, we shouldn't..."

"Don't worry brat, they really aren't paying any attention at all. That Yukito boy though, I think he's noticed already."

Syaoran nearly jumped in surprise. There, eating a piece of cake right in the middle of the table, was the little winged guardian of the Clow cards. He didn't seem too worried about being seen, which freaked Syaoran out.

"What are you doing?" He reached for the little creature in an attempt to hide it, but Kero dodged his hand easily. "They'll see you!"

"It's okay, I don't mind." Syaoran looked to where that voice had come from feeling that it was familiar. Indeed, it belonged to Yukito, who seemed to be sitting right across from him on the table. "There's someone inside me too, waiting to come out. Just like him, so I don't mind if he's here."

Syaoran couldn't fight the blood building up on his face. "What? What's going on?" _He isn't supposed to be here!_

All of a sudden he noticed that only Kero and Yukito were left in the room. The table was left with half eaten plates and empty seats giving the room a haunted house feeling. Were he Sakura, he'd be afraid of seeing a ghost, but being him, he tried to feel the presence of a Clow card that could be doing that, however, Yukito's presence was keeping him from focusing properly.

"When it comes down to it, will you be able to stand up for yourself?" Kero said, changing his voice to an enigmatic tone.

"I already did. I got rid of the spell!" The boy shouted, suddenly feeling angry, much to his own surprise.

"You've come a long way, but the most painful of choices are yet to come." This time it was Yukito who said the words to the boy. "In order to make those choices, you must first understand what you really want."

Syaoran didn't know when, but the room had disappeared too by now. Only Yukito and Kero were there with him in what seemed like endless darkness. Also, he felt less compelled to understand why things were happening in such a bizarre way. For some reason, he wanted to know what Yukito and Kero were talking about despite the absurd situation.

"I... I don't understand."

"Is there a purpose to who you are?" Syaoran turned around. A waitress with a deep, male voice was talking to him now. "You got rid of the spell, but what was your purpose before the spell?"

"My purpose?" Syaoran searched his mind trying to find the answer._Before the spell, my only purpose was..._

"Maybe if you capture all the cards you'll become the next head of the clan." He turned around again to find Mei Ling smiling at him.

Tomoyo was standing beside Mei Ling. "You can marry Mei Ling-chan. Maybe Sakura-chan will even give you the cards."

"I'd be so proud of you." Yelan was there too now, eying him with a satisfied smile.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Me too son, I know this is your destiny."

"Otou-san!" Syaoran turned around quickly, but where he expected to see his father, only the waitress stood again.

"Is that it?" The waitress asked him. "You've found your purpose? Are you sure that's it?"

Syaoran felt a woman hugging him from behind. The arms were warm and comforting. "Of course he did. He's always known his purpose." His mother said. "Isn't that right?"

Syaoran lowered his head. "I..."

"Don't look down!" Now it was Yukito's turn to talk. The boy seemed serene, but concerned about Syaoran. "You haven't answered the questioned by yourself. You're just avoiding it by letting other people answer it for you."

Syaoran raised his head. "I... I don't know."

"Good." It was Sakura that stared at him this time. She had a bright smile on her face and for some reason, she was the only one there with Syaoran now. "That means you're starting to question what you once believed in. What you were forced to believe. You're giving yourself an identity you can call your own."

"K-Kinomoto-san... What does that mean?

Sakura reached out for Syaoran's hand and held it. Syaoran felt himself blushing again. This was different from when she helped him get rid of the spell. The look in her eyes was different. It was much more magnetic, as if it was pulling Syaoran's very soul inside those two emerald circles.

The girl stared at Syaoran, her face only a few inches apart from his. Syaoran was starting to feel more nervous. "Even if you don't know which path to take now, I know it's going to be alright."

She leaned forward and moved her head to the side so her lips were brushing against Syaoran's ear. The smell of her hair became very vivid. He knew that smell and he'd learned to associate it with Sakura, but he had never felt it so intensively. "If you're afraid and need someone to be with, I'll be there with you." She whispered.

She wrapped her arms around him, causing him to get even more tense. "I'll be there because you are the one I love most, Syaoran-kun."

The ceiling of his bedroom was all he could see now. His breathing was rapid and his hands were sweaty.

_A dream. It was a dream. _

Syaoran could barely believe what he'd just experienced. _At first it was just like the dinner we had at Daidouji-san's, but then... So many things happened. _

As he recalled the questions he'd been asked he couldn't help but feel that it hadn't been an ordinary dream. It felt as if had meant something deep._ It felt so real too. _He could practically smell her hair and feel her breath against his ear._ No! This is wrong. The spell is gone so why can't I stop thinking about her? And in the end, she even called me..._

"Syaoran-kun."

"Ah!" Syaoran couldn't contain his scream. _What's going on? _ His dream was over, but for some reason, Sakura was still there by his side, hugging him and calling him Syaoran-kun.

* * *

**A/N:**_ Uh Oh, naughty thoughts! Don't even go there pervert. CLAMP usually teases a lot of these taboos so I though it'd be okay if I teased them a little bit too. Don't worry, they didn't have sex or anything. Even if they did (which they didn't) they'd be wearing a condom. There, now my story is kid friendly again cause it's got sex ed. (My mind works in mysterious ways... But that's also true for pretty much everybody else so...)_

_Sorry if you wanted to see more of Sakura, but rest assured, you'll see plenty of her in the next chapter._

_I've got some bad news for you. (For me actually.) I didn't get into college so I'll have to study my ass off again and try harder this year. That's bad because I'm under pressure again. So far I can handle it fine, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to update as often as last year. That's what I get for only trying four of the hardest to get into colleges in the country. This year I'll try a couple of easy ones to be safe. Don't want to spend my whole life going to a cram school._

_But enough with that. I'm back and I feel great for being back, so don't ruin my day by not reviewing._

_See ya!_


	28. Sakura in the Dream, Part 2

Saudações! (Another Brazilian greeting, though this one is not really something we use in informal situations.)

**A/N:**_ I'm really sorry that I took so long. You guys are great and I'm terrible. Thanks for all the nice reviews and support with college and stuff. Hopefully this year my studies will pay off._

_This chapter gave me a hard time again. All in all I deleted more than half of the content after writing it. Some of it I had to rewrite, some of it I just dumped out, and some was moved to the next chapter. But I'm here now and I guess the final result was rather good. But that's up to you._

**Disclaimer: I wonder if anybody even reads these things. I mean... am I just wasting my effort to make dozens of jokes that no one reads? Man... That's sad. Hey! I know! If you're reading this, put the word "Chewbacca" somewhere in your review. Then I'll know that my efforts at making you not really laugh that much haven't been a waste.**

**The plot thickens:** _Start of the season so not much to say. Just to get you back where I stopped. Last chapter showed a brief glimpse of Kaho. We saw her teaching a young girl at an elementary school how to use magic. The Kinomoto's attended dinner at the Daidouji's and Syaoran felt awkward being himself for the first time in front of Sakura. He had a dream with the dinner and lot's of insightful questions were made to him. In the end of the dream Sakura appeared saying he was the one she loved most. Syaoran then woke up to find Sakura still there by his side. _

**Oh! I still don't own CCS by the way.**

"Character Talking"

_Character Thinking_

(Me Talking)

_All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live. _

**Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 10:** _Sakura in the Dream_

**Part 2:** _The Mysterious Sakura_

Tsukimine shrine.

The cherry tree stood with its ever present majesty at the center of the shrine, enticing yet another person with it's magic.

"It's very pretty isn't it?" Kaho asked her young pupil as the two of them contemplated the tree.

The little girl nodded. She couldn't take her eyes off the wooden piece of life in front of her. Not only was it a beautiful sight, but is also felt warm and comforting. "It's so full of mana, it's almost as if it ruled over everything around her."

Kaho crouched beside the girl so they were face to face. "You're right. In a way, this tree acts to the living things around her like the sun and the moon act on the earth. It shares it's life with everything in this shrine. Including you and me."

The girl's mouth widened. "Hoe? That's amazing."

The teacher nodded to her. "It's a very kind tree isn't it?" She put her hand against the trunk. "When I touch it I can feel all the mana flowing to me and to the living things around here, but you noticed that just by looking at it."

The girl blushed. "I didn't." She said between a shy laugh. "I just thought it looked that way."

"Don't be afraid to accept merits." Kaho said gently. "Your sixth sense is strong, that's how you knew I was going to teach you magic before we even met."

The girl grinned. "That's because you were in my dream. That's how I found you."

"And in that dream..." Kaho took the girl's hand in hers and looked at the girl in the eye with a deep stare. "You saved me, right?"

The girl nodded. "Right, so that's what I'm going to do." Her eyes were shining with confidence. "I'm going to save you."

Kaho giggled at the girl's excitement. "Do you know what you'll save me from?"

The girl's smile became a bit held back. She blushed and looked down. "Not really..." Immediately regaining her composure she raised a fist in a determined pose. "But I know how I'm going to do it, so it's all going to be alright."

* * *

Syaoran was still trying to process the information his senses kept sending, but no matter how many times he checked, there was no mistake. Sakura was really there holding him and he wasn't just dreaming it.

"Syaoran-kun." She mumbled again, burying her face in his chest. Syaoran blushed beyond pink and red. He was used to Mei Ling hugging him in that way, but that was Sakura. Even if the spell was gone, even if there had never been any spell, he'd still have that same reaction. And she was calling him by his first name to top it all.

Despite an initial panic, he soon stabilized enough to notice that Sakura was asleep. That was a good thing, he imagined. He was afraid that moving too much might wake Sakura, but also, he wasn't sure if he should stay like that much longer.

_If I could just remember what happened last night._ His memory went back to the dinner at Tomoyo's mansion. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall anything unusual. He had returned home with Wei and... That was it. He had gone to sleep before anything could happen, and Sakura was certainly not beside him when he did so.

How did this happen? He looked down at Sakura. Her face was peaceful and smiling softly. The first few sun rays reflected against her enhancing the surreal effect in Syaoran's head. For a moment he didn't do anything but watch her. That soon changed however when he heard a door opening somewhere in the apartment. _Wei's up already!_

He was starting to panic again. It was Sunday so Wei wouldn't try to wake him so soon, but he still felt as if in imminent danger. He wasn't even sure what kind of danger, but that only made him more anxious. Something was wrong and there would be consequences. That's what he thought.

_Maybe if she wakes up I could ask her. _He wondered. The idea of waking her up was a little nerve racking too, but given the situation, he didn't see any other alternative.

The first obvious step was making sure he wasn't so entangled with Sakura when she woke up. For all he knew, she could be as surprised as he was at the weird situation.

After carefully escaping Sakura's grip and sliding out of his bed he prepared himself to face her. With red still tinging his face, he leaned close to her ear. "K-kinomoto-san." He whispered, making sure Wei wouldn't listen. "Wake up."

Sakura's eyelids slowly parted, revealing her green eyes. Syaoran immediately jerked away from her. "Hoe?" Her eye's carefully scanned the space around her. She seemed surprised to be there too, which was a relief to Syaoran. She sat up on the bed and blinked a few times, adjusting to the light.

It was then that Syaoran noticed that she was wearing her school uniform. That made no sense since they didn't have any classes that day. Then again, the whole scenario wasn't making any sense.

After yawning and rubbing the sand out of her eyes, Sakura finally noticed Syaoran. "Syaoran-kun? What's going on?" Syaoran sighed. She was still calling him that. Something was not right.

"You mean... you don't know either?" Syaoran asked cautiously.

Sakura shook her head. Whatever it was that had brought her there, she didn't know too. "I don't remember much about what happened, tee hee." She said, sticking her tongue out and rubbing the back of her head. "But at least I'm here with you, right, Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran blushed. "I... uh..." He looked away. _Damn, I thought I was done with this after the spell! _"Y-you... You're calling me Syaoran-kun..."

The girl seemed confused. "Hoe? Is something wrong?"

Syaoran jumped alarmed at his possible rudeness. "No, no, no!" He quickly said, waving his hands in front of him. "There's nothing wrong with it. It's..." He couldn't finish his sentence, Sakura had jumped out of the bed and was once again hanging on him as if she was Mei Ling. "K-Kinomoto-san?"

Sakura looked at him and giggled. "You're funny Syaoran-kun."

Syaoran tried to break free, but he found out Sakura could be just as persistent as his cousin in her hugs. "What's going on Kinomoto..." Once again Syaoran was cut midway through his sentence, this time however it wasn't by Sakura.

The open door to his room revealed a very surprised Wei. "Syaoran-sama, Kinomoto-san, what's..." The old man paused and inspected the two for a few seconds. Syaoran and Sakura didn't move a muscle. Syaoran couldn't move out of nervousness, but judging from Sakura's cat like smile, she was just staying still because she was enjoying herself. Wei finally spoke up. "Ah... I see." Was all he said.

Syaoran finally gathered the nerve to move. He force himself free from Sakura who seemed disappointed at that. "Wei, I can explain! It's not what it looks like."

Wei chuckled. "Don't worry, I've already figured it out." He said, much to Syaoran's surprise.

"You did?" Syaoran asked, blinking in surprise.

"Of course." Wei pointed to Sakura, who seemed a bit embarrassed about it compared to how she was acting a few seconds before. "Kinomoto-san is wearing her school uniform, that is already odd." He pointed out. Syaoran already knew that, so he figured there was more to Wei's conclusion. Wei's hand moved down to Sakura's leg. "But most important of all, she's not wearing a cast around her leg."

Syaoran's eyes widened. He looked at Sakura and confirmed that Wei was right. Her leg seemed perfectly fine. Sakura herself didn't seem so fine on the other hand. "What's going on, Syaoran-kun?" She asked, changing from uncomfortable to scared.

Wei nodded as if confirming his deduction. "Her behavior doesn't match too. This girl is not the real Kinomoto-san."

Syaoran nodded, he had already reached that conclusion too by now and it had been a great relief to him. _For a second I thought I was back to having my mind messed up_. The girl seemed bothered by Wei's statement. "What... what are you saying?"

Wei was ignoring her and Syaoran was trying to do so too, but her nervousness seemed to be getting to him. He couldn't help but look at her through the corner of his eye. "If she's not Kinomoto-san..." Wei started. "It's very unlikely that a girl who looked just like her would just pop up here, so that means..."

Syaoran was doing his best to remain serious, but the mysterious Sakura was now holding his hand and staring pleadingly at him. "What's he saying Syaoran-kun? I'm really Sakura."

Syaoran sighed. _Even though I hate to admit it, the puppet master is probably one to keep his word, so this can't be his doing._ _So she can only be a Clow card._ The boy disentangled his hand from hers, causing her to look desolate. Syaoran tried to reason with himself not to feel guilty, but Sakura's scared eyes were too much for him. "Cut it out. The act's up. Wei saw through you." He said frowning at her and at himself for feeling so sorry for her. _I can't believe __I let it toy with me like that. _

Wei stepped forward. "That's right, I understand now." Sakura and Syaoran looked up at the man expecting him to explain. "You're a magical copy of Kinomoto-san created by Syaoran-sama so he could practice overcome his shyness around Kinomoto-san."

Syaoran face faulted. "That's not it at all!"

* * *

Sakura frowned.

Since she had finally understood and solved the confusion regarding Syaoran's aura and the spell, she had been sleeping better than she'd ever slept since meeting the boy. Even the pain in her leg, which was slowly receding, wasn't enough to bother her.

Of course, that wasn't the sole reason for her comfort. In the past few days she had grown a lot. For the first time she felt she was really a magician on her own merit. Though it'd been a painful experience to face her own fears, the results showed. She no longer feared fighting the cards by herself. In fact, she even felt a new desire that a new card showed up so she could fight it. She was excited to prove herself again and again.

Looking back to her prophetic dream, she could understand a little better why she felt so safe with Syaoran protecting her. It wasn't the same feeling she'd experienced in the past month when, even if it was because of a spell, Syaoran had saved her from an ill fate many times. The feeling in her dream was much more solid. It was real trust. She felt safe just like she did around her brother. It had pleased her when she figured that this new way of seeing her dream meant Syaoran would eventually become a great friend of hers.

Despite the troubles that were still to come and the mysteries left unsolved, Sakura felt determined to capture the cards. For the first time she felt it was something she was really doing for herself, not for others.

Those had been Sakura's thoughts at Saturday night after the dinner at Tomoyo's house. Though they were true to her heart, she didn't predict that the next time her determination would be needed would be right in the middle of her sleep. For this reason, she didn't want to know why Kero's incessant poking of her face was keeping her from her dreams. She just wanted him to stop, so she frowned.

"Sakura!" The guardian kept calling her. She wondered if he'd stop if she ignored him for long enough. It wasn't very nice of her, she thought, but nothing should stand between her and her sleep. "Wake up!"

Eventually she realized that Kero was much more determined than her on that matter and ignoring him would only result in the little beast using more extreme methods to wake her up like he'd done quite a few times in the past. Therefore, it was only out hope that she'd be able to go back to sleep after talking to Kero that she gave in.

She opened her eyes, not intending to see anything. Her vision was still impaired from just waking up, but she had to show Kero that she was awake. "What is it?" She asked with a sleepy voice while rubbing her eyes.

Kero had a serious expression on. "I felt the presence of a Clow card!"

_I should have seen it coming. _Sakura mumble something incomprehensible and buried her head in the pillow. "Why at a Sunday morning?" Her muffled voice came through the pillow, clearly very annoyed. _Why am I so sleepy anyway?_ Indeed, the amount of focus it took her just to keep her eyes open was unlike anything she'd ever felt.

Kero tried his best to show a little compassion for the girl. "I know you've been having a hard time giving mana to all those new cards the brat gave you, but we can't let a card roam free." He tried to reason with the girl, but she seemed set on staying in her bed.

_Oh, right. That's why I feel like this. _"I don't want to go." Sakura cried, pouting like a little kid.

The guardian wasn't pleased at the girl's persistence. "The card won't wait until you're up to go after it."

"I can't fight a card." Sakura said, pulling her cover over her head. "My leg's broken." She said trying to use reasoning too.

Kero sighed. "I know that. It's true that you shouldn't be chasing cards around when your leg's like that, but we can't stay a whole month without capturing them. They'll get more violent each day." Kero pulled the cover upwards, exposing Sakura again. "So you'll have to get up. What other choice do we have?"

Sakura quickly pulled the covers back to herself. "Li-kun." She said, turning to lie on her side so she was facing the direction opposite to where Kero's impatient stares kept coming.

"I can't rely on the brat." Kero complained. "He's not half the magician you are, he's not the master of the cards and he's not my master!"

Sakura turned to face Kero again. The guardian recognized a tinge of emotion in her eyes. "Kero-chan..." She seemed to be touched by Kero's high regard of her.

Kero smiled gently. "You're the only one who can do this Sakura."

Sakura smiled back at him. "Thanks Kero-chan. You're really cool." She said. After exchanging meaningful looks with the beast for a couple of seconds she turned her back to him again. "But I still won't go." She stubbornly concluded. "Li-kun's great, he'll get the card."

Kero started to turn red from anger. "You're just being lazy." Sakura didn't respond at all. Finally the guardian turned his back to her. "Fine, I'll go after the card by myself!" He shouted before flying out of the window.

It didn't take long for Sakura to fall asleep again, but in the little time she retained consciousness, she felt guilty for letting Kero go on his own. It wasn't like her at all to do that sort of thing, but her bed felt just too good that day. _I'll make a cake just for him latter._ Was the last thing she thought before going back to her dreams.

* * *

"I told you, I really love you Syaoran-kun!" The mysterious Sakura cried loudly, her eyes tearing up. Syaoran's face got redder every time the girl repeated those words. "I can't be a Clow card." She said in a weak voice between sobs.

The three of them were seating on the couches in Syaoran's living room. Syaoran was sitting across from her while Wei sat beside her trying to comfort the girl. "Syaoran-sama, I think she really believes this." Wei said, giving the girl his most sympathetic smile. "Maybe she's telling the truth. Maybe she doesn't know how she got here."

Syaoran shook his head viciously. "That's impossible. She's not the real Sakura, so she must be a card. If that's the case, she's here to drain my mana." He pointed at the defenseless girl. "Stop that act right now!" He couldn't avoid thinking that the Sakura in front of him was somehow related to his strange dream. It was almost as if she'd jumped out directly out of it.

The girl burst into tears. "I-I'm sorry... I really don't know what's happening." She buried her face on Wei's shoulder. The man stared at Syaoran reprehensibly. The boy was speechless. _I feel like I'm on the wrong side here, but it can't be. She can't be Kinomoto-san._

"M-maybe she believes what she's saying..." Syaoran said awkwardly. "But that doesn't mean it's the truth."

Wei sighed. "Syaoran-sama, you experienced someone playing with your own feelings. Is it so absurd to think that this might really be Kinomoto-san?"

"Yes." Syaoran was convinced that the girl wasn't Sakura. He couldn't explain why to Wei or even to himself, but even if he didn't consider her leg or changed personality, he was sure it was a Clow card. She had to have something to do with his dream after all. "This just can't be Kinomoto Sakura." He took out his sword. Talisman and summoned it to it's true form. "And I'll prove it right now!" Sakura let out a cry that sounded like a scared dog.

"Syaoran-sama!" Wei raised his arms in front of Sakura. "What are you doing?"

"I'll capture her." Syaoran answered coldly. The fastest way to get rid of the awkward situation and find out what was the origin of that Sakura was to bring her back to her card form. "It won't hurt." He said raising his sword. He was determined to do it fast before he lost the momentum. He had to find out how she was related to his dream.

The girl seemed panicky. Syaoran figured that was confirmation that she was a card. She was afraid to get caught now.

"Return to the guise you're meant to be in, Clow card!"

Syaoran pointed his sword at the frightened girl, but nothing happened. The magic circle that had appeared under his feet vanished, but Sakura was still there looking like a cornered animal. Neither of them didn't made a sound.

Up until that moment Syaoran had been trying to convince himself that the girl in front of him could only be a Clow card because the alternative possibility was just too absurd. Being that way he didn't even think of the consequences that it could bring. _She's a real flesh and bone Kinomoto Sakura who claims she's in love with me._ Reality hit him pretty hard. He couldn't think straight for a few seconds. That's why he didn't even notice as Kero flew into his room.

"Hey brat, sorry to bother you so early but... Ah!" He froze in midair. It was only then that the three people looked at him. "What's going on here?"

Wei looked around and noticed no one had what it took to grasp the situation properly. After a sigh he stood up and patted Sakura's head with a smile on. "Don't worry Kinomoto-san, I'm sure we'll sort this all out." He turned to Kero. "Kerberos-sama, why don't you make yourself comfortable while I fetch something in the kitchen. We can explain everything over breakfast."

And with that Syaoran finally realized that time was still moving and he had a serious problem in his hands that wouldn't just solve itself. _If she's not a Clow card, than what is she?_

* * *

**A/N:**_ Done. To tell you the truth, I'm still not one hundred percent satisfied with this chapter, but I changed so much stuff about it, I figure I'll soon loose track of what I deleted and what I kept in the chapter. The main stuff is in there, and even if a few things I wanted to add are missing, I can fill those in in the next chapter. _

_I'm sorry if you found some errors like words missing in a sentence or something. I finish this right on the deadline so I didn't have time to check for this stuff. So, if you found them, let me know. Thanks._

_I'll now leave you to ponder on the nature of this mysterious version of Sakura... and to review (Chewbacca!)._

_Bye. _


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